A Flicker in the Dark
by TempestParamour
Summary: It's been three years since Pitch tried to usurp the Guardians, and he's finally gotten his full strength back. As he revs up to strike again, he finds a new fascination in Myra. When she falls into a ravine and wakes up as the Will-o'-the-Wisp, she's definitely not expecting to become a person of interest to both the Boogeyman and the Guardians.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, though I do think it's absolutely wonderful.**

"Myra!"

I closed my eyes, loving the feeling of the soft evening breeze as it flowed across my face and neck, my gloved fingers wrapped loosely around the guardrail in front of me. I could hear the river flowing far, far below, its sound blending with the wind to create a quiet melody. The night was always so calm, peaceful, comforting.

"My_ra_!"

I smiled softly. The night _was_ calm—when I didn't have my eight- and eleven-year-old little sisters with me. I turned my face towards the sound, slowly opening my eyes to see them waiting semi-patiently next to me. "Yes, that's my name."

"Myra, you're _so_ _weird_!" Jenna sighed dramatically, rubbing her temples as if to clear a headache (which I had a sneaking suspicion bore my name). Her short dark hair flew in all directions as she shook her head, disbelieving that she could _actually_ have an older sister as strange as me. "Can we go home now, _before_ Em starts crying?"

I wrinkled my nose at her teasingly before kneeling down to address Emmy, the youngest, who had one small hand fisted in my moss-green sweater. I smoothed her too-long bangs away from her eyes, making a mental note to take her to get a haircut soon. "Hey there, kiddo, how're you holding up?"

Emmy was horribly afraid of the dark, had been since she'd been a toddler and accidentally locked herself in the pantry while we were playing Hide and Go Seek. We couldn't find the key, so she'd been stuck in there until Mom had come home from work, about an hour or so later. Jenna and I were trying to cure her of the phobia by taking her on nighttime walks around our back yard and the park down the street, and it had helped… a little. I think that they'd been doing me more good than her, though. But she loved being near me, and I loved taking walks at night, so I developed a compromise: we'd take long walks together when the moon was full and the sky was clear, that way there'd be plenty of natural night and she wouldn't have an honest-to-god panic attack like she'd had in the past.

She looked at me with her wide gray eyes, offering me a watery smile. "Okay." She offered weakly, her tiny fingers digging in harder.

I placed a gentle kiss on her forehead as the tears began to grow in her eyes. "Hey, none of that now. You're doing great, really."

"I wanna go home. It's scary out here!" she whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut, though I didn't understand how that could possibly be better.

Jenna snorted, earning a special older-sister _look_ from me. "What're you closing your eyes for, Emmy? It's a lot darker with them closed, isn't it?"

She sniffled, and Jenna dug around in her pockets for a bit before offering Emmy a lightly-crumpled tissue. Emmy blew her nose a few times before answering, opening her eyes. "I guess."

I thumbed away a few lingering tears from her cheeks. "Tell you what; when you're scared or lonely, just look up at the night sky, okay? There's always a little bit of light _somewhere_, so you can never really be fully in the dark."

Jenna nodded in agreement. "No dark, no problem, right?"

Emmy smiled, making my heart squeeze. Nobody smiled like Emmy did. "Right."

"M'kay then." I laughed, straightening to my full height and taking her small hand in mine. Jenna moved on her opposite side to take the other. This was standard procedure for us, Jenna and me swinging Emmy between us every now and then as we headed home.

"I'm telling you, Myra, I _saw_ him!" Emmy insisted, her inky hair an absolute mess around her shoulders. Her enormous eyes were puffy from crying and shimmered with even more tears yet to be shed. She'd woken up about half an hour ago, sobbing and shaking, from a nightmare. Part of her terror was because the night-light next to her bed had gone out, which I'd quickly amended by turning on the little lamp on her bedside table. Jenna stood next to the bed, looking cranky and rumpled in her plaid pajama pants and blue tank top.

"Hold on, I can barely understand you 'cause you're so stuffed up." Jenna offered her a tissue and waited for her to finish calming all the way down. "Now, start again."

Emmy fidgeted with a ribbon on her frilly nightgown. "I had just fallen asleep, and I was having a nice dream, about us and Mommy at the beach. You know, like the one we went to last summer on vacation. We're playing, building a sandcastle. I looked away for a second, and you guys were gone. I looked everywhere, and I couldn't find you!" I rubbed her shoulders as her lower lip started to tremble. "I was so scared. It was dark when I woke up, too!"

"We're here now, aren't we?" Jenna quipped, rubbing one of her eyes in irritation.

I frowned at Jenna's tone, but said nothing on the matter. "You said you saw 'him'? Who's 'him'?"

Emmy's eyes were so wide I could see the whites all around the irises. "The boogeyman!"

Jenna snorted in disbelief. "There's no such thing, stupid."

"There is too!" Emmy yelled, clutching her bunny plushy toy to her chest with one hand and pointing to the shadowed corner by her closet with the other. "He was _right_ _there_!"

"Calm down, sweetie." I murmured, pressing my lips to the top of her head. "Jenna, I've got this. Why don't you go back to bed?"

Jenna yawned and headed for the door. "If you say so."

"You believe me, don't you Myra?" Emmy plead, her gaze flicking from me to the corner and back anxiously.

I smiled, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "Of course I do."

She sighed, as if it were a great relief. "Why does he like to scare people?" she asked quietly, expression far too serious for a girl her age.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure, Em. Maybe it's his way of helping people face their fears."

She wrinkled her nose, making me smile at seeing the familiar expression. "That doesn't make very much sense."

I shrugged, tucking her back into bed as she snuggled into her mountain of pillows, a few of them jacked from my room and Jenna's, as well as the couch downstairs. "Not a lot of things in this world do. Try to get some sleep, 'kay? We'll get you a new nightlight tomorrow, I promise."

"Goodnight Myra." Em mumbled, already halfway back into Dreamland.

I tucked a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. "Sweet dreams, Emmy."

"It doesn't matter how bad your day was," I snapped, poking Jenna in the shoulder, "you don't take it out on Em!"

Jenna's eyes were like daggers as she glared at me, smacking my hand away. The glare would've been much more effective were it not for her black eye and the purplish bruise blooming on her chin. "Like you even care about how my day went! All you care about is Emmy, Emmy, Emmy!"

It felt like I'd been slapped and punched in the stomach simultaneously. "That's a lie and you know it! I didn't get my _hands_ bloody and bruised for Emmy, did I?!" she winced, looking at something over my shoulder for a moment before returning her gaze to me. "No, I got them that way defending _you_."

"I didn't _ask_ you to step in!" she snapped, balling her hands into fists.

I took her by her shoulders, shaking her a bit. "You didn't _have_ to! I'm your big sister, and that means the _only_ person who can give you crap is me!"

Jenna worked her jaw, clenching and unclenching it slowly as she processed this. After a moment her shoulders slumped, her expression one of utter exhaustion. She rubbed at her forehead tiredly, and I saw more bruises developing along her swollen knuckles. "I'm sorry, okay? I just—I just don't wanna be seen as weak, you know? Like I have to have my big sister swoop in and save me all the time."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to." I said quietly, looking meaningfully over to where Emmy sat on the swings, toeing at the woodchips below her with her head hung forlornly. Her newly-turned-amputee bunny toy (courtesy of Jenna) laid discarded a little ways off to the side.

Jenna nodded stiffly before turning and marching towards our little sister, fussing with the hem of her jacket. I watched as she pulled a roll of pink duct tape from her pocket, using it to reattach the stuffed rabbit's arm to its torso, before laying it in Emmy's lap as a peace offering.

Emmy threw her arms around Jenna's neck, and I grinned happily as Jenna gave me a thumbs-up behind Emmy's back.

I jogged along the sidewalk, the cool evening air whipping my hair behind me. The sky was a rich, deep sapphire, and in the distance I could see the moon begin its climb into the heights of the heavens. I'd had a report to finish typing up, so I'd had the girls start our walk together without me. Not exactly the best big-sisterly decision, but I'd really needed them out of my hair.

I started a bit as a shadow entered my peripheral vision, but when I turned to face it, it was gone. With a shrug I continued along, aware of the slight stitch developing in my side. I hoped Jenna was taking good care of Emmy. It was getting closer and closer to winter, which meant the night not only got colder, but darker, much earlier.

I approached the bridge above the ravine and stopped dead in my tracks, horrified. Emmy and Jenna were surrounded at the edge of the forest by the same group of bullies that I'd beaten practically to a pulp about a week ago. Apparently they hadn't learned their lesson the first time—or should I say, the _right_ lesson. They had learned one thing; greater numbers against lesser prey. The larger girl, who I assumed to be the leader, was sitting on a struggling Jenna while her friends teased and pushed Emmy around, tossing her rabbit between them.

"You're so stupid!" One of them said, digging her fingers into Emmy's slim shoulders before shoving her away roughly. "Only babies are scared of the dark!"

"Or carry little _bunnies_." Another one laughed, ripping the rabbit's duct-taped arm from its body. "_Oops_, my bad."

"Stop it!" Jenna yelled, writhing to try and get free. "Leave her alone!"

The larger girl stepped on one of Jenna's hands, grinding the heel of her boot into it. "Where's your big sister _now_, huh?"

I sprinted forwards, between two of the girl's lackeys, and ripped her backwards by one of her meaty shoulders, my blood pounding in my ears. "Get the _hell_ away from my sisters!"

"Myra!" Emmy called, eyes wide with fear. I noticed that her lower lip had a split in it, bruises showing on her arms, and I wanted to scare all of them as bad as they had scared her. "Myra, they took Aria!" she cried, pointing at her beloved bunny with desperation in her large gray eyes.

The boss-girl got to her feet, planting her fists on her hips, Jenna momentarily forgotten. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Here, _crybaby_, let's go for a walk!" two of the bullies grabbed Emmy by her upper arms, picking her up so that her legs kicked uselessly beneath her and marching her into the dark forest.

"Stop it!" Jenna snarled, lunging towards them as they disappeared into the trees, Emmy screaming. She was caught around the arms by another girl who was built like a linebacker. "You can't do this!"

The larger girl rolled her squinty eyes, a smug grin curling her lips. "_Obviously_ we can!"

I swung a fist at her, a glimmer of fear showing briefly in her eyes before she ducked. The force of the blow carried me forward to trip over her hunched form. She got a fistful of my hair by the scalp and delivered a few punches to my stomach, knocking the breath out of me.

"_Myra_!" Jenna screamed as the bully girl threw me at the guardrail. The old metal groaned in protest, and I thought I felt it start to give beneath my weight. I dragged my fingernails along the girl's arm and hand, trying to pry her hand out of my hair as she hit me again. The railing made more terrifying sounds that I tried to ignore. I focused instead on the sound of Jenna's shouts and Emmy's bloodcurdling screams. My sisters needed me. Emmy could go into a panic any time now, if she wasn't already; it was time to stop mucking around.

I clenched my jaw, grabbing a fistful of the bully's ratty bob, and decked her in the nose, following it swiftly with a right hook. My knuckles ached from the abuse and my scalp hurt like a mother. The girl stumbled back, releasing my hair to hold her nose to try to stop the blood gushing from it. I turned my attention to the other girls, who had dropped Aria the Amputee Bunny and Jenna and were quickly running away.

I smoothed my hair back from my face, striding forward to check Jenna for damage. Her black eye was making a comeback and she was moving stiffly, but other than that she seemed alright. "Hey, you okay?"

She touched her shiner lightly, wincing, and nodded. "I'll be fine. We need to go get Emmy. She's probably freaking out pretty bad by now."

I nodded, patting her on the back and following her into the dark tree line. Underbrush crackled under our feet and tugged at our jeans, my hands getting scratched by thorns every now and then. Emmy's cries had quieted a bit, but I could still hear her sniffling and sobbing when the wind blew right. I cupped my hands around my mouth, calling out to her. "Emmy! Emmy, where are you?"

Jenna did the same beside me, and we took turns calling out into the night as we followed along the edge of the ravine. The shadows around us shifted and moved as clouds drifted over and away from the moon, making me nervous. If they did this to me, I could only imagine how Emmy was faring.

After several minutes of trekking, we heard her hiccup a weak, "Over here!"

The bully twins were nowhere to be found, but there was Emmy, curled up on the forest floor in the shadow of a fallen tree, dirt and leaves sticking out in her hair. Jenna let out a sigh of relief and wrapped her arms around Emmy, holding her tightly. "What're you doing out here?! Why didn't you try to make your way back?"

Emmy grinned at us as Jenna leaned back, sitting on her haunches. "I got over my fear! See? I was hiding from them here. They couldn't see me because it was too dark."

My heart swelled with pride. "That's wonderful, Emmy! How'd you get away?"

The eight year-old picked at a scab on her elbow. "They pushed me into the trees and told me to run, so I did."

Jenna ruffled Emmy's hair before handing her Aria and Aria's Arm. "Here, we got her back for you."

"Thank you so much!" Emmy gasped, grinning, and pressed the toy to her chest. "Let's go home now."

I nodded, holding out a hand to help her up, and we walked back through the woods to the street, Jenna and I helping her through the thorny bushes and over fallen trees. When we got back to the bridge, the big bully girl was nowhere to be seen, and the night was calm again. I stopped them so that I could step up to the railing, leaning into the soft wind.

"Come on Myra, let's go home!" Jenna groaned, looking exhausted.

"Give me a minute."

Emmy came up to the rail next to me, stepping onto it and mimicking my posture, her eyes wide with wonder. "It feels like flying!"

I grinned at her. "Yeah, I guess it do—!"

I cut off with a yell as the guardrail gave an awful screech, and I shoved Emmy back onto the sidewalk as I fell forward, finding myself looking into the river at the bottom of the ravine as Jenna and Emmy screamed my name. I twisted around in midair, seeing Jenna holding Emmy back from the rail, the full moon high above. I smiled softly, closing my eyes against the sight as the air whooshed around me, buffeting my clothes.

No, _this_ was flying.

I felt a quick stab of true fear right before I hit the river.

When I woke up, the night air was like warm velvet around me, and the moon was enormous, glowing bright enough to rival the sun. I was lying on a rock in the middle of the river, the water tugging at my hair playfully as it rushed past. I sat up, looking down at my hands, pale and healthy, even the knuckles. I felt my face for any bruises, but there were none. My stomach didn't hurt either.

I looked up to the moon, confused. Did I…? Was I a ghost?

_Will-o'-the-Wisp._

I jumped, looking around. "Hello? Who's there?" I got to my feet, turning around, peering into the night around me. "What's going on?"

I went to turn back around, and my foot slipped on the wet rock. I shrieked, covering my face with my hands, but the _splash_ never came. I was floating in the air a few feet from the rock, a little above the water. The wind stirred around me, and I closed my eyes, loving the feeling. Guess I couldn't be a ghost, since I was pretty sure ghosts weren't affected by wind. So then, what was I?

I opened my eyes when I bumped against a tree, the wind having carried me there. "Oh," I said lightly, mildly disappointed. I blew a lock of hair out of my face, and the wind gusted from behind me into the same direction, twirling me around the tree and into the forest. I laughed with delight, floating higher, and grabbed onto a branch, perching on it to look out over the ravine.

I dropped down to the forest floor, where the boughs on the trees blocked out any overhead light, plunging everything into darkness. I couldn't see anything, and so found myself bumping into several trees. This would be so much more pleasurable if I could just _see_—

My hands, which I'd had stretched out before me to feel for the next tree, had white flames lighting up their edges. I let out a scream when I noticed my hair shimmered faintly in some places, silver glowing through the black. Well, I sure as hell could see _now_!

"My my, you're an interesting one, aren't you?" a velvety voice chuckled in the dark.

I whirled around in the direction the voice had come from, but all I could see were shifting shadows as the wind kicked up around me. I clenched my glowing fists, taking a defensive stance. "Who's there?"

"Now calm down. There's no need to get so deliciously afraid just yet." A tall figure materialized from the shadows, striding closer to me.

I laughed, my hair floating on the breeze, and straightened to my full height, though it was no match for his. "I'm not scared."

There was a flash of white teeth in the dark as he grinned, stopping a few feet from me. I felt my eyes widen as I took him in from the top of his wild black hair to his equally black boots. I could practically feel the fear that followed him like a noxious cloud as it tried to latch onto me, making my heart rate accelerate. "I know you're not—at least, not of _me_."

"You didn't answer my question; who are you?" I turned to keep up with him as he circled me slowly, strange yellow-gray eyes raking me over.

His unnerving gaze settled on mine. "The name's Pitch, though I must say, I'm much more interested in hearing your name than mine."

"Why?" I scowled.

He clasped his hands behind his back and dissipated, only to reappear behind me, leaning against a tree. "It's not every day we get a new member to our little _club_." He disappeared again, and I couldn't help the tiny gasp that escaped me when I felt his hand slide down my arm. "What's your name then, hm?"

I frowned, thinking about that. I'd had a name, a _real_ name, once. I just couldn't really remember it now. Now all I could think of as a name was what the moon had told me. "Will-o'-the-Wisp."

His expression was one of curiosity and amusement. "Just wake up, did you?"

"Yeah." I scratched the back of my neck, my light fading to just the barest glow as I sighed, looking up at the trees high above us. "I don't understand what's going on."

He pulled my arm through his, bringing me closer, and guided me towards a shadow so deep it looked practically abyssal. "It's alright. I'll explain it all to you."

**A/N: So that's chapter one. Questions, concerns, any form of review really is welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Reviews, reviews, reviews ~ Oh, they make me so happy! Anyway, I don't own RotG, just this plot and my OCs. Read and enjoy!**

"Don't be scared." Pitch murmured with a light chuckle, leading me forward through the pure blackness that had swallowed us.

I would've frowned at him, but the shadows around us were so thick that there was nothing to be seen behind or around us. The dark had even overwhelmed my new natural glow. The only reason I knew he was still there was because I could feel the material of his sleeve beneath my hands and pressed against my side, soft as a midnight breeze with tense muscle underneath. "I'm not."

We emerged from the darkness in a moment, but that moment seemed to feel like an eternity as I kept the awful fingers of the fear he carried with him from digging into my heart.

My first thought, on seeing the place he called home, was that the light was almost the exact same color as his eyes.The second was how _lonely_ it was, not just in appearances but in feeling. The place could be pretty, really, were it not for how utterly forlorn it all was. There were no sounds, no shifts in the light, nothing. It was almost heartbreaking in its solitude.

"Ah," Pitch began, releasing my arm and striding forwards a ways, "I can see it in your eyes. You understand the desolation that dwells here."

"I don't exactly understand it as much as I feel it." I corrected, leaning against the side of the archway and letting my fingers trail along the grooves in its worn surface.

He nodded, yellow-gray eyes somber before his smile returned. "Well, don't just haunt the doorway, my dear. Nothing to be afraid of here."

I shrugged away from the wall, glaring at him, as the wind stirred around me, causing the strange birdcages above me to rattle and clash together. The discordant melody helped to ease the horrible, oppressing feeling in the air. "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not scared?" I quipped, passing over the stairs with a quick leap to land inches in front of him.

"Oh, you don't have to tell _me_, Wisp." He chuckled, his rich voice lingering when he disappeared, reforming from a shadow on a wall to my right, some ten feet above my head. "I _know_ you're not afraid. Honestly, I was just teasing. Have a bit of fun!"

I blinked at him, taken aback, the gusts around me dulling down to soft, gentle breezes that circulated the massive room. "I can have _fun_!"

"Of _course_ you can!" he agreed, melting into the shadow and popping back into existence behind me. "That's why you'll do so much better with me." He whispered, brushing some of my hair from my shoulder, a tinge of amusement leaking into his tone.

I took a slight step to the side, turning to face him. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, stirring my hair where it floated close to him. "That's right, I promised to explain to you, didn't I?" I nodded, watching him as he strode forward into a darkened corner between two archways. I scanned the area until I spotted him several yards away and down by some strange metal sculpture. "Come along, Wisp." He called, waiting with his hands clasped behind his back.

I eyed the distance between where I stood and the small courtyard where he was with mild apprehension; I hadn't really gotten the chance to practice my floating. If I fell, it'd be a long time before I hit bottom. I bit the inside of my cheek, thinking. Would it even hurt me if I did fall? There were a lot more abyssal shadows down there, too; maybe I'd fall through to some other place… I'd have to test that theory later.

Pitch noticed my hesitation. Even from this distance I could tell he was grinning. "You're taking an awfully long time. Are you _sure_ you aren't—?"

I cut him off before he could finish his question, using my wind to give me a boost across the gap. The wind sang in my ears as I flew, and I closed my eyes with a laugh, loving the sound. I twisted so I was falling head-first, my hair flowing out behind me. I opened my eyes when I thought I was close to the other side, returning to a standing position in time for my toes to touch the ground. His sonorous laugh seemed to echo from every shadow, his odd eyes focused on me with keen interest.

I raised an eyebrow at him, crossing my arms over my chest. "You were saying?"

"Come here and look at this." He said, taking me lightly by the elbow and guiding me forward towards the strange, globe-shaped structure. It really was like a globe, but it had tiny lights glimmering on its surface in certain places. "Tell me what you think it is." He released me in favor of slowly pacing around the sculpture.

"It's a globe." I said matter-of-factly, hopping on top of it, careful to avoid stepping on any of the lights. "Like the ones we had at school. What're all of the lights for? Is it some sort of …population count?"

He nodded, looking pleased as his dusk-colored eyes glinted at me between Europe and Africa. "It is indeed. Each light represents a child who believes."

I waited for an awkward moment for him to finish the sentence. "Believes in…what?"

"_Us_. Or, rather, the _Guardians_." He sneered at the name, resuming his circling at a more expedient pace.

I frowned, floating down from my perch on the globe. "Who're they?"

Pitch's face, normally cool and a tad sardonic, took on a vicious expression. "_They're_ the ones with all the power, all the _believers_! _They_ get to be seen! As long as children believe in them, I'll be trapped down here, weak, forgotten," he turned his burning gaze on mine, "alone."

"Why's that?" I asked, sitting in midair in the middle of the globe, like it was an enormous chair. "Can't the kids believe in both you and them?"

He shook his head furiously back and forth in frustration. "No, no, it doesn't work like that."

I pursed my lips in thought, resting my chin on my hands. "Why can't you all hang out together? That way you wouldn't be all alone."

He scoffed, leaning in the opening between Asia and North America, the tiny lights casting odd shadows across his face. "Let's just say they don't like me very much."

"Why? Did you all get in a fight?"

His serious expression disappeared, replaced with a smirk as he chuckled. "You could say that." The smirk disappeared as he stared at me, his eyes holding an almost unfathomable sadness. "It's been so long since someone's just _spoken_ to me like this." He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh, closing his eyes briefly. "No matter. Things will get better soon."

"You still haven't explained one thing to me." I waited for him to look me in the eyes. "Why are any of us here to begin with?"

His wicked grin returned as he held out a hand to help me from the globe. "I think that's enough lecturing for one day, don't you?" I took his offered hand, stepping free. "Now, I have some business to attend to. Why don't you go exploring? I'm sure you're _dying_ to get out and test your new powers on the world."

I did. I _really_ wanted to go flying, to feel the air on my face and in my hair, to have my weightless freedom and calm. But curiosity took momentary dominance. "What kind of business?"

"Don't worry, I'll let you in on everything soon." He took me by my shoulders, leading me towards the edge of a stone bridge. "Go have some fun. I'll join you as soon as I finish."

I scowled at him, wary. "Pitch—,"

"Ta-ta," he laughed, pushing me off of the bridge into the shadows that lie waiting for me.

The darkness engulfed me, closing off the way back. "Damn it, Pitch!" I cursed, my hair and skin flaring with light. I let out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. Great. My first acquaintance in my new life, and he pushes me off of a bridge. _Bastard_. Well, I couldn't go back, so I might as well trudge forward. The shadows slid across my skin like mist as I walked, humming quietly to myself to break the unsettling quiet.

The dark spit me out, to my surprise, in front of my old house. The sun was rising, and the family inside was getting ready to start the day. I felt my heart lurch at the sight of Mom in the kitchen, getting their lunches ready. I darted out of the street, jumping up on top of the porch, and walked over to Emmy's open bedroom window. I eased my way in, careful not to bonk my head, and froze with one foot still outside. Emmy sat on her bed, clumsy fingers making knots instead of a braid, her tongue sticking a little ways out in her focus. I was happy to see that her bangs had been trimmed, so they weren't clinging to her eyelashes anymore.

"Emmy?" I whispered, so as not to alert the entire house. "Emmy! Emmy, it's me!" I climbed the rest of the way in, kneeling in front of her. I waved a hand in front of her face, my excitement making it shimmer.

Without looking at me, she got up from the bed, going over to her closet to get changed. Her eyes lacked their old warmth as she surveyed her clothing, looking completely disinterested. I got to my feet and followed her as she went to her dressing table, still in her pajamas, and started tugging a brush through her unruly locks, passing me in the process.

"I don't understand," I mumbled, staring at our reflections in the mirror. "Why won't you look at me? Can't you see me?" For the first time since waking up, I felt truly, absolutely frightened. I reached forwards, meaning to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, but my hands passed right through her.

She went back to her closet, randomly picking out a dark violet sundress for the day, and began shedding her pajamas while I had a brief mental breakdown, staring at my hands. I immediately began touching everything—the bed; her hairbrush; Aria the rabbit, who had had her arm reattached this time with zebra duct tape; I flipped through the pages of the storybook Emmy would always have me read through. My hands never passed through any of them.

Emmy frowned at the book when I'd stopped leafing through it, and I felt hope rise up in me; did she know I was here? No, she just went over to the window, closing it firmly. She left Aria on her bed as she left her room, very uncharacteristic of her.

"Emmy!" I called after her, clutching the abandoned stuffed rabbit by its ears. "Emmy, get _back_ here!"

She continued on, starting down the stairs. With a frustrated yell I chucked the toy at her. My aim was poor, and my arm too strong, causing the bunny to land on the top stair. The soft _thump_ it made got her attention, though. "What the…." She frowned, backtracking to retrieve the rabbit. She dusted it off, eyes filled with a wistful sadness, and started back towards her room.

"Yes, yes, yes!" I crowed, doing a quick float about the room. "Come on, Em."

She was by her bed, tucking the bunny in with a scowl. She still didn't look at me.

"No! Emmy, please! Come on, look at me! _Look at me_!" I yelled to her back as she left again. I let out a shriek of irritation, my anger causing me to flare with light, my hair whipping around me with wind.

Emmy whirled back around, eyes wide as she looked at me, barely catching the rabbit that I'd thrown at her again.

She was looking at me!

"Emmy?" I tried again, the wind dying down around me as she approached. "Emmy, can you see me?"

Instead of answering me, she rushed at me, throwing her arms around my waist. Her hot tears soaked through my shirt, and I automatically started rubbing her back, trying to comfort her. I let out a relieved laugh when I didn't pass through her again, and she started laughing, too.

"Myra!" she sobbed, voice thick due to her stuffed nose. The name sounded familiar, and I realized it must've been mine, back when I wasn't…whatever the hell I was now.

"Hi, kiddo. Long time, no see—literally, in my case." I chuckled, detaching her from me so I could get her a tissue. "You had me worried for a minute."

She scowled at me, wiping her nose. "But, what're you doing here? We saw you—saw you—," she cut off with a gasp, eyes enormous as her breathing became erratic.

"Hey, hey, calm down! Deep breaths, Emmy, _deeeeep_ breaths." I soothed, patting her on the back.

She turned her large eyes on me. "Are you a ghost now?"

I laughed, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Nope. So far, the only thing I've passed through is you."

"What?"

I quickly changed the subject. "My hair glows now, isn't that cool?"

She nodded exuberantly, bouncing lightly on the bed. "It's so _pretty_, like the night sky! And it _floats_!"

I smirked at her, jumping up to fly over her head and hover by the window. "It's not the only thing that floats."

Her eyes were full of delight as my happiness at being seen caused my skin to shine. "You're amazing, Myra!"

Her smile, so warm, made my heart melt. I drifted back over to her, giving her a tight squeeze. "I missed you, Emmy."

"I missed you, too." She let out a tiny gasp as a thought occurred to her. "I should go get Jenna! _Jenna_!" she called through the open door, jumping up and down on the bed excitedly.

"_What_?!" Jenna snapped, coming through the door looking more irritable than ever, dark circles outlining her dull eyes. "What do you want?"

"Hey, remember what I said about snapping at her?" I reprimanded, forgetting that she couldn't hear me.

Emmy looked from me to Jenna. "Myra said not to snap at me."

Jenna looked like she'd been slapped, anger and hurt flaring in her eyes. "I thought I told you not to talk about her anymore!"

"I'm not talking _about_ her! She's right here, Jenna!" Emmy said, grabbing my wrist and flapping my hand in Jenna's scowling face.

Jenna frowned, and I thought for a moment that she could see me. Then her expression of apprehension shifted to one of disgust, and she pushed Emmy back on the bed. "Don't be _stupid_! Myra's gone, and she's _never coming back_!" She whirled on her heel and marched from the room, shoulders stiff with fury as she slammed the door shut behind her.

Emmy turned to me, looking confused. "Why couldn't Jenna see you?"

Pitch's words filled my head: They're_ the ones with all the believers—_they_ get to be seen!_

"She doesn't believe in me." I said quietly, sitting cross-legged on the bed. My hair settled around my shoulders and down my back, suddenly heavy as a blanket, almost all of its light gone.

Emmy threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tight. "It's okay—I'll _make_ her believe! That way, she can see you, too!" she said, looking at me with her small chin set in determination.

I chuckled, hugging her back. "If anyone can make her believe, it's you." I sat back, looking around the room. "What's today?"

She screwed up her face, thinking hard. "It's Saturday. Saturday….October twenty-first?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "It's this warm, and it's almost Halloween?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, the weather's been weird."

"Apparently." I chuckled, jumping up to float lazily close to the ceiling. A lot of the glow-in-the-dark star stickers were starting to peel away, I noticed.

Emmy fidgeted below me. "I was going to go play at Anne's house today…do you want to come?"

I dropped down to the floor in front of her with a soft _whoosh_, smiling at her. "There's some other stuff I need to do today. But I'll braid your hair for you, if you want." I offered before she could become too crestfallen. She nodded eagerly, and with her new haircut it only took a little bit before her hair was done, a white satin bow tied at the end. "There, all done."

"Myra?" she called when I started for the window. I turned back to her as she threw herself at me, squeezing my midsection so hard I thought she'd snap me in two. "Come back soon, okay?"

I hugged her back, kissing the top of her head. "Of course I will. Go play with your friends, 'kay?" I turned, reopening the window, and climbed out. "Be a good girl!" I laughed as I jumped up, letting the wind catch me. I turned, giving her a little wave to see her still watching me, a small smile on her face and the light back in her eyes.

It was a good deal colder out now than it was last night—a cold front must've come in while I was with Pitch. The wind was brisk on my face as I flew, taking in the kids playing at the park, the frost beginning to coat the store windows, the white-haired dude who wasn't watching where he was flying—

**A/N: Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I only own my OCs and this plot; everything else belongs to Dreamworks. **

**A/N 2: I just wanted to do a quick thank-you to my reviewers thus far—Tbird12355, LePyronness, TheAngryTori, torchil, and one Guest. Seriously, thanks guys. You're the best.**

**Read and enjoy!**

"Gaah!" I yelled , trying to backpedal away as we collided, plummeting into a small grove of trees by the park's pond. My hair caught and snagged in the branches as we tumbled, his elbow digging into my stomach, our legs tangled together. We flew apart when we finally hit the ground, me on a hill and him into the pond. The water froze on impact, so he just lay on top of it, his staff a few feet away.

I got up with a groan, picking the twigs and leaves from my hair. "Ugh, _that_ was a disaster. Hey, are you okay?" I called out, walking towards him. He used the crook as a support to stand, ice-colored eyes taking me in.

"Who're you?" he asked, brushing dirt off of his shoulder.

My two names clashed together in my head. "Will-o'-the-Wisp." I answered, pushing my hair away from my face.

He blinked, smirking at me. "Kind of a mouthful, isn't it? Can I call you Wisp?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, crossing my arms over my chest. "Depends. What's your name?"

He leaned on his staff, his tone mildly offended. "I'm Jack Frost. Haven't you heard of me?"

I shrugged, lacing my fingers together. "Yeah, I've just never _seen_ you before. Anyway, you should watch where you're flying."

He snorted, grinning. "_Sorry_, I'm not used to other people flying around, at this time of day anyway."

"Well, I just woke up last night, so I _guess_ I'll let you off the hook." I smirked, hopping across the frozen pond.

"Wait wait wait!" he called, sliding across the frozen surface after me as I moved to leave. "Hold on a second—you're _new_?!"

I blinked at him, unsure of why this was apparently such a big deal. I looked from one side to another before looking back at him. "_Yeah_…." I said slowly, drawing the word out. I glided across the ice, doing a few little turns. "Does that mean something important?"

"Have you met any others like us yet?" he asked, practically brimming with curiosity and excitement.

Something inside me told me not to say anything about Pitch. At all. "Nope, you're the first." I sighed, the wind echoing the motion around me. I let it carry me up, closing my eyes with a smile.

"What are we waiting for, then?" I let out a startled yell as he grabbed me by my wrist, shooting up towards the clouds with me in tow. "Let's go!" He flew like a maniac, twirling and speeding like a crazed sparrow. My hair lashed at my eyes and cheeks as we continued to gain altitude, and I wondered briefly if we needed air.

"Jack, where are you—?" I cut off with a gasp as we were suddenly blown hard to the left, clinging to Jack's frost-coated sleeve as he let out a whoop, spinning us yet again. I squeezed my eyes shut, icy tears leaking from their corners and freezing to my cheeks.

He laughed, shifting his grip on me. "Hold on, almost there."

_Not soon enough_! This was _not_ my style of flying. There was no peace in this, no calm; the wind was a buffeting roar instead of gentle sighs. It was like being attached to a jet. I _hated_ to think of what my hair would look like when we finally did stop. I'd probably be akin to a glow-in-the-dark Bride of Frankenstein.

The wind was bitingly, bitterly cold when we finally slowed, though I kept my eyes closed, letting him guide us wherever we were headed. If they made me find my way back, I'd probably be stuck wandering around forever. There was a soft _whoosh_, like doors opening, and a blast of warm air blew my hair from my face. I felt cold fingers gently prying mine from his arm and opened my eyes to see Jack smirking down at me. "You alright, Wisp?"

I jumped away from him, massaging my cramped fingers. "I'm fine. Just not used to flying with a _lunatic_!"

"Aww, it wasn't that bad, was it?" he chuckled, silvery-blue eyes wide with mock innocence.

I shook my head, pinching the bridge of my nose, and sighed. "Where are we, anyway?" I asked, looking around the area we stood in. It was an immense stone and wood platform facing a rotating, lit globe several times the size of Pitch's, and _definitely_ more colorful. Everything was more colorful than Pitch's domain, though, I supposed. Large, furry creatures shambled about or made toys at the many work tables that littered the vast space. I felt my eyes grow wide as I narrowly avoided stepping on a tiny, oddly shaped person with pointy ears and a large tray of cookies. "No _way_…."

"Yes way." Jack said, swinging his staff so that a trail of frost formed across the floor, causing an elf holding a fruitcake to go sliding into one of the furry creatures. "_North_! Hey, big man, where are you?" he bellowed, flying up to the next level of the room.

I went to follow him, but one of the fluffy things blocked my way, towering over me with its arms crossed over its formidable chest. Its eyes dared me to break eye contact. "Uhh, Jack…?" I called, taking a step back from the furred bouncer. "Should I just wait outside?"

He reappeared on the upper floor's railing, looking down at the situation. "Hey, Phil! She's cool, she's with me!"

_Phil_? I mouthed, trying to connect the name to this bigfoot-esque beast, but shook my head as it begrudgingly stepped to the side, allowing me to pass. I leapt around him into the air, meeting Jack at the next level, not taking my eyes from the oversized Saint Bernard-bear-man crossbreed until Jack ushered me through a door into another room, closing it behind us. Unnervingly, the door locked itself immediately upon closing, making me take a closer look around the room I was now stuck in.

The first thing that got my attention was the chainsaw. Leave it to me to see the most dangerous thing in the room first. It was sticking out of a large chunk of ice on a table close to us. On closer inspection, the entire front half of the room seemed constructed out of wood and ice. A good portion of the room was filled with toy-packed shelves, as was the air. Most of the toys moved with a life of their own, and at one of the large desks in the room sat a formidable man clad in red and black. The man turned from where he was chiseling away at a block of ice, and I found myself face to face with Santa Claus. I clenched my teeth to keep my jaw from dropping, my eyes somehow managing to open further. _Oh my _god_, Emmy would _killme_ if she knew I was here without her. I wonder if I can convince Jack to let me bring her here…._

While I pondered the likelihood of this happening to avoid going into shock, Father Christmas turned to Jack, looking confused. "Jack, who is she?"

I couldn't stop my jaw this time; my mouth fell open, so I was now gaping at him like a fish. Santa was Russian. _Russian_! Oh, wait 'til Emmy heard about this!

"This is Will-o'-the-Wisp. Wisp, this is North." Jack introduced, laughing a bit at my expression.

"_Privet_." I resisted the urge to drop to my knees and beg for forgiveness for all the times I'd eaten one of his cookies when I thought no one would know. Barely. North's eyes lit up, and he started speaking a stream of Russian so fast I couldn't hope to keep up even if I knew more of the language. I threw my hands up in an 'x' shape, shaking my head furiously. "I'm sorry, that's all the Russian I know!"

His laugh rumbled through the room. "That is alright. I teach you more later."

"North," Jack called to get his attention, face serious yet excited, "she's _new_."

I resisted the urge to sigh. _Here we go again with the 'new' thing._

North's eyes widened as he looked from Jack to me. "Is this true?"

I nodded, eyeing him warily in case he decided to reach for one of the swords that were set off to the side. "Yes sir."

He bolted to his feet, Jack just managing to jump out of the way as North swung me about in a circle, rumbling with laughter. "Welcome to the world, Wispy!" he set me back on my feet suddenly with a gasp, his face darkening a bit as he looked to the door. "We must tell the others!"

The door flew open, and North pushed me and Jack through, hurrying us back to the main platform that Jack and I had first arrived at. He approached a large control desk, leaving me and Jack to ourselves as he set himself to his task.

"What's going on? Who're the others?" I asked Jack, crossing my arms over my chest.

He shrugged, jumping up onto his staff and using it like a chair. He opened his mouth to answer me when he froze, looking at something high over my head. Out of the corner of my eye I could see North looking in the same direction. I turned around, looking to see what they were staring at so intently. I scowled. What was the big deal? It was just the moon.

I let out a surprised yelp, leaping to the side as the tile under my left foot started to open, glowing an odd blue light. No one else was paying attention to the floor, though. "Manny!" North yelled at the moon, tone full of a friendly admonition. "Why did you not tell us sooner about Wisp?"

I looked to Jack, confusion plain on my face. "'Manny'?"

Jack nodded, swinging his legs a bit. "Yeah, the Man in the Moon. He usually only pops up like this when there's trouble, though."

I felt a little alarm bell ring in my head. That didn't mean… I wasn't considered 'trouble', right?

Jack finally seemed to notice the floor as an immense crystal on a pedestal rose up from the hole, rising up until it was several heads taller than me. The moonlight hit it, gathering in the crystal's depths and charging up like a battery. Without looking away from the crystal I asked Jack, "Okay, so if the Man in the Moon showing up means trouble, what does _that_ mean?"

"Bigger trouble." He said, slipping down the staff to stand next to me.

I glanced at him through narrowed eyes, smirking. "Thanks for the elaboration."

"What it means," North started, joining our little powwow around the crystal and interrupting Jack before he could speak, "is that Manny thinks we need help. We are getting new Guardian!"

I frowned up at the large man, vaguely intimidated by his height and build. How could a guy this big and powerful need help with anything? "Help? Help with what?"

A hole appeared next to North, and out popped the largest rabbit I'd ever seen. "Alright, North, what is it now?" he asked in a thick Australian accent. He didn't even see me as he looked directly at the crystal, surprise clear on his fluffy face. I stared at the place next to his foot, where golden, glittering sand was gathering in a quickly growing pile. It gradually took the shape of a stout golden man with a friendly face who had a _legit_ question mark hovering over his bed-head. "Oh, hey Sandy."

"I'm here I'm here I'm here!" an energetic female voice said quickly, a brilliant blur of colors zipping through the air before coming to a stop next to Jack, completing the circle. She looked like a hummingbird, just with a human face and body. Her wings glinted rich jewel tones as they settled against her back, a small group of tiny clones of her fluttering about Jack and poking at his mouth.

"Ah, _there_ you are, Toothy!" North greeted, turning to acknowledge the moon. "Alright, Manny!"

The light that had been steadily building in the crystal filtered up through its top, creating the image of a person. Dread and confusion rose in my chest as the figure became more and more familiar. Long, mildly floating hair, feminine build, skin that fluctuated with brightness….

The rabbit scowled at the crystal. "Who is _that_?"

North and Jack turned to contemplate me, the others following their lead and noticing me for the first time. North stepped up to the rabbit. "I tell you who she is—she is our new Guardian!"

I jumped, tearing my gaze away from my blue visage. "Now, hold on a second—,"

"A new Guardian?" The fairy-hummingbird's brow pinched with worry. "Does that mean Pitch is back?"

I glanced at her, confused. _Pitch?_ _What_ about _Pitch?_ "Excuse me—,"

The stout man's—who I assumed was the Sandman—question mark turned into an exclamation point, his eyes wide with alarm. Rabbit-man scoffed, running a thumb over the edge of a boomerang. "_Please_. We took care of that no-hoper ratbag _years_ ago!"

North gave him a wry smile. "That is what you said last time, Bunny."

The air above Sandman's head was a blur of symbols as he and the fairy had a conversation. That was one way of sign-language, I supposed. Jack chuckled, taking in the mild chaos around us as the noise level escalated between 'Bunny' and North.

I clenched my jaw, fisting my hands by my sides. The air circulating through the room began to cycle faster around me, lifting my hair as my temper rose, my skin highlighted by white flames. Why wouldn't anyone _listen_ to me?! "_Excuse_ _me_!"

Again I went unheard, Bunny and North in each other's faces now and 'Toothy' completely absorbed in deciphering Sandman's signals. Three strikes, I was getting out of there. I turned sharply on my boot's heel, away from the group, and jumped up into the waiting wind that carried me through the moon's window.

"Ugh, it's _cold_!" I groaned, hugging myself, and looked around at my surroundings. Snow, snow—_ooh_ some _ice_!— and more snow. It was an unending landscape of white and cold. I pursed my lips together, letting myself drift on the air currents as I thought. How the hell was I supposed to find my way home? Why had I let myself be dragged along in the first place? I rubbed my temples, closing my eyes, and spread my arms out as I fell backwards through empty air, following the wind. This was my style of flying: soft breezes supporting me, following the currents on a whim—

Getting whacked in the head with snowballs was _not_ my usual style. And yet there I was, having a baby heart attack and plummeting through the air for the second time that day with frozen water particles in my eyes and nose. I scrubbed my hands across my eyes, heart trying to soar free from my chest as I panicked. _No no no nononononono! _My mind was a blatant stream of denial as the air failed me and I dropped like a stone.

"Whoa there!" A voice laughed next to me, a wiry arm wrapping around my midsection and wrenching me upwards, squeezing the air out of me. I coughed and sputtered as I was deposited unceremoniously into the snow on a cliff by Jack, my assailant as well as savior. And soon to be a dead man. As soon as I convinced my heart that evacuating my chest was no longer necessary. He grinned down at me, his staff slung across his shoulders as he walked along the edge of the cliff-face. "Sorry about that. You weren't supposed to fall like that."

I glared at him, shoving my glimmering hair out of my face and struggling to my feet. "How _else_ is someone supposed to react to being surprise-attacked with snow in midair?!"

He raised his eyebrows at me, lips curled in a smile. "Well, for one thing, you're not supposed to be grouchy about it. You're supposed to have _fun_."

"How do you figure?" I asked irritably, brushing some snow from my shoulder. I looked down at myself with a scowl, clawing at the ice that clung to my neck a little before giving up when it became apparent that it wasn't coming off.

He stopped his pacing, leaning against his staff. "'Cause that's my center. I put fun into the world."

"Well, yeah, I guess snow days are fun…." I mumbled, rubbing at my frost-covered throat, "But scaring me half to death isn't!" I finished as a triumphant smile started to light his face.

He made a humming sound in the back of his throat, smirking. "Maybe, but it _was_ funny."

"Look, could you just point me in the direction of home?"

He blinked owlishly at me. "I guess," he paused, a mischievous grin taking hold of his face, "or I could do one better." I started to take a stumbling step back as he grabbed my forearm, yanking me up into the air and taking off at his wild, winding speed yet again. Snow clung to my eyelashes and hair, the wind whistling and roaring in my ears. He slowed after a while, the air a bit warmer, and I dared to open my eyes a bit to see we were flying low through the town, the dying sun painting the sky deep orange and red. He swung his staff with abandon, causing frost to grow along the phone lines and stop lights as we passed them. We slowed to a stop in the park, where a bunch of kids were playing on the thick ice of the frozen pond, and he set me down on the hill I had crashed on earlier. "There you go."

"Thanks, though I'd appreciate it if I got some warning before you go air-lifting me." I smirked, heading towards my old house. "See you around."

It was almost dark when I climbed through Emmy's window, and I was a little disappointed to see she was already curled up in bed, sound asleep. She'd even left just enough room for me, I noticed with a small smile. I bent my body to fit around hers, pulling her close. Her sleep-filled eyes opened a little, and a dreamy smile lit her face when she realized it was me. "You came."

I gave her a little squeeze, kissing her temple. "Of course I did. I promised, didn't I?"

Emmy nodded, her dazed gaze focused on my neck. "What happened to you, Myra? Your neck's all icy."

I pursed my lips, smoothing her hair back from her forehead. "It's nothing, Em. I'm fine. Don't worry about it, 'kay?"

She gave a sleepy giggle, poking my luminescent cheek. "You'd make a great nightlight."

"Oh hush. Go back to sleep." I pressed my cheek to her hair, holding her until I felt her breathing deepen. When I knew she was deep in sleep, I crept stealthily back out of the bed, tucking the covers in around her. I picked Aria up from where she'd fallen to the floor, sliding her under Emmy's arm.

"My, how _precious_ she looks." I swallowed a shriek as Pitch's rich voice murmured low in my ear, his hands brushing against my arms as light as a moth's wing. His breath was cool against my cheek as he laughed quietly, Emmy shifting in her bed with a quiet whimper. I half-turned, covering his mouth with my hand, holding a finger to my lips with the other. He looked amused as I took a fistful of the whisper-soft cloth of his coat and pulled him back outside, shutting the window gently behind us. I situated myself between him and her window, though he could easily pass me if he really wanted to, what with his shadow-teleport powers. I hoped he wouldn't, though.

I tilted my head a bit to the side, eyeing his face curiously, his yellow-gray eyes glowing in the shadows. "What're you doing here, Pitch?"

His teeth glinted in the night as he smiled. "I told you I'd come once I'd finished. Didn't you miss me?"

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling, making a non-committal hum in the back of my throat as an answer.

His strange eyes dipped from mine, narrowing as they stopped at my throat. "Whatever happened to your neck, Wisp?"

**A/N: Please review! Pretty pretty pretty please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I own nothing that is Dreamworks', only what is mine. Read and enjoy~!**

My hand drifted up in a subconscious gesture to hide the crystalline abnormality, a soft breeze moving my hair in front of it for added shielding, even though he'd already spotted it. "I'm not really sure. " I said, hopping up to the tallest part of the roof. Pitch reformed from the shadows on the widow's walk a few feet below me.

Pitch hummed low in his throat, accepting my claim for the moment. "I see. " He moved towards the edge of the roof, surveying the night.

"Hey, can we go somewhere else?" I asked, recapturing his gaze with mine when he half-turned to look at me, his face divided by shadow.

His half-lidded eyes glowed at me as he chuckled. "Why? Afraid we'll wake the little one?"

I shook my head, crossing my arms over my chest. "No, I'm _afraid_ that if she wakes up and sees you she's going to have a heart attack. She might think you're the Boogeyman or something, and more nightmares are the absolute last thing she needs."

"Oh, but I _am_ the Boogeyman." He laughed, causing gooseflesh to crawl up my spine and making me shiver at the dulcet sound of it.

Slicing through the rich laughter, I could sense movement in the room far below me. Emmy was getting up. Without thinking I lunged at him, covering his mouth with both hands, the force of my jump tipping us over the roof's edge and down towards the shadowed lawn. A scene flashed before my eyes like lightning: a deep ravine, either side lined with tall trees, a roaring river cutting through it like a knife. I squeezed my eyes shut against the image and instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck tightly as the wind whistled past us. I abstractedly recognized the feeling of Pitch's hands set loosely about my waist, his amusement obvious.

_And here comes the drop._

There was a soft, almost silent _whoosh_, the air stilling around us. The sense of falling disappeared, replaced with a sensation of vertigo. I felt the toes of my boots scrape against a hard surface, and I opened my eyes slowly. We were back in his lair next to the globe…and I was still holding on to him for dear life, face partially buried between his shoulder and his neck, my heart beating so hard I swore he could feel it. He smelled like the midnight air.

He _tsk_ed in my ear, chuckling a bit. "Were you _frightened_, Wisp?"

I flushed, releasing him and flinging myself back from him, letting the wind catch me before I could fall on my backside. "Of course I wasn't!" My hair floated wildly about me in a breeze caused by my flustered state, my skin literally ablaze.

He raised his eyebrows at me. "So I see."

I fled to the top of the globe, turning my back on him as I tried to will away the color from my face. "Are you going to finish explaining to me now?" I snapped testily, feeling his scrutinizing gaze between my shoulder blades.

"Where would you like me to begin?" His tone was bemused as he called down to me from his new position on top of an arch a few stories above my head.

I waited for my flames to die down before resting my fists on my hips. "For starters, you could explain the whole 'Guardians' concept, and why you all seem to have a bone to pick with each other." I craned my neck back, barely able to pick his pacing form out from among the shadows of the cages as they settled from my wind.

"Now, how could you know that, I wonder?" I jumped back as he melted out from the shadow of a set of stairs to my left, mentally cursing myself for it. I should be used to his form of travelling by now. I cursed myself harder when I realized I'd essentially told him I'd been with the Guardians. "Wisp."

"I met the Guardians at the North Pole." I admitted with a shrug, turning to meet his gaze directly and raising an eyebrow at him. "I was dragged up there, literally. Problem?"

He dissipated once again, multiple shadows of him turning about the room. "What did you think of them?" he asked coolly.

I thought back about my first encounter with them: North with his boisterous nature, Bunny and his cranky scrutiny, Sandman with his flashing signals, Tooth and her frenzied excitement and constant orders to her cloned offspring. "They were friendly enough, I suppose. Some of them were definitely overworked, and they were eccentric for sure, but I guess that's part of what made them kind of…fun." A picture of Jack flashed in my mind. _Some far more eccentric than others,_ I thought, remembering the crazy way he flew, the way I'd almost _died_ because of his need to initiate a snowball-fight with me. "You didn't answer my question. Is this going to become a regular thing with you? These evasive non-answers?"

"No need to get so ruffled up. I was just curious." He stepped from the shadows in a crack in the stone wall to my right and behind me, strolling slowly around the illuminated globe. "The Guardians are a bunch of do-gooders. They protect the children's hopes and dreams, their _precious_ memories and wonder. They stay powerful, seen, as long as they're believed in."

I eyed him thoughtfully. "And you?"

He laughed, throwing his arms wide and meeting my gaze. "I'm the _Boogeyman_! I sew fear into their sweet little hearts and turn their dreams into glorious nightmares. I lurk in the darkest parts of the night. I know everyone's deepest, darkest fears. I am everything that the Guardians are not, that they stand against." He let his fists fall to his sides, expression falling a bit. "The children believe in _them_, and in doing so I get written off as nothing more than a _bad_ _dream_, unreal to them in their bliss. I don't get to be seen or heard. _No_, I get stuffed down under a bed, weak, alone and forgotten."

"That's not true!" I said, dropping down to land in front of him. I stared up into his yellow-gray eyes, filling my voice with conviction. "There _are_ children who do believe in you! My little sister, Emmy, is absolutely _petrified_ of you! I know most of her friends are, too. Hell, I don't know of a kid who _doesn't_ believe in you at some point."

He scoffed, narrowing his eyes at me. "At some point, yes. But never for long. Not long enough to make me as strong as I used to be."

I gave him my best _are-you-freaking-kidding-me_ face, giving a disbelieving half-laugh. "Who the hell cares? It's still some power, some belief, and as long as there's a few who believe in you, that belief can spread!"

"If I accomplish what I'm after, I won't have to wait that long! The world can go back to the way it was _before_ the Guardians; I can be believed in again, and everything will go back to fear and darkness!"

"What is it you're trying to accomplish? Are you just going to eliminate them?" I asked, incredulous.

He smiled, laughing a bit. "Of course I am. It's only fair, with what they've put me through, for all those years. It's their turn not to be believed in!"

I shook my head, grabbing his sleeve. "You can't get rid of them, Pitch. There can't be fear without hope, and there can't be darkness without light." He said nothing, either processing this thought or ignoring it completely I couldn't tell. "I can't _believe_ how stubborn you are!"

He tilted his head a bit, eyes wide in mock surprise. "Out of everything, _that's_ what you can't believe?"

I covered my face with my hands, letting out a bestial sound of utter frustration. "Forget it!" I snapped, the heels of my boots clicking out an angry staccato beat as I marched away from him, towards the bridge he shoved me off of earlier today.

"Where are _you_ going?" he asked, popping up out of my shadow.

I turned back to face him, mimicking his posture from when he went on his tirade—arms wide, arrogant expression—only with my own flare to it. My flesh had developed silvery flames, ignited by my fury, and a tenacious wind snapped my shimmering hair around me. "I'm the Will-o'-the-Wisp. I do what comes on a whim, when I please, _not_ excluding stepping off a bridge just to see if this shadow will get me the hell away from the _biggest_ headache I've _ever_ experienced!"

He took a step towards me. "Wisp—!"

"Don't want to hear it!" I stepped backwards off of the bridge before he could start on me again, letting the waiting darkness swallow me.

Instead of spitting me out across the street from my house, the shadow dropped me off in the middle of the bridge that led from my old house to the park, now blanketed in a soft layer of snow. "Oh, wow." I gasped, looking up at all of the stars that filled the sky above the ravine, the moon nestled in among them comfortably. The sight of their beauty shocked the anger out of me, causing my flames to die so I was once again just shining. I closed my eyes, their wondrous image burned into the back of my eyelids, and took several deep lungful breaths of the night air. It was just cold enough to be exhilarating as a breeze toyed with my hair, lifting it up from my shoulders and carrying with it the scent of snow-covered pines.

I reopened my eyes after a time, hugging myself as I looked out over the familiar sight. It was just as magnificent as I remembered. I couldn't help myself, my gaze drifting to the spot where I'd fallen, and felt myself be pleased a bit to see that they had replaced and reinforced the entire railing, not just where I'd….

I shook my head before the memory could take hold of me. No, no freaking out, not now. That was in the past. Besides, I could catch myself, now.

_I'm not scared_, I thought, approaching the last place I remembered touching anything solid when I was still Myra. _I'm not. I'm not scared. I'm perfectly fine._ I stepped up onto the lower part of the railing, my fingers wrapping lightly around the bar. I felt my heartbeat quicken, but I ignored it, leaning into the wind as it blew harder and closing my eyes. There were no sounds but the wind blowing the snow around as I sighed, enjoying the calm and quiet….

"Hey, you're not going to jump, are you?"

My eyes snapped open, and I jumped back into the air with shock at the sight that waited for me. Jack Frost stood on the guardrail, staff slung across his shoulder as he stared down at me, the moonlight picking out different shades of silver in his hair and eyes. "Holy crap, make a noise or something, would you?!"

"I just did." He chuckled, frost webbing out from where he walked along the metal.

I scowled at him, my feet settling back on the ground. "Anyway, how is it your business if I choose to jump off this bridge? It's not like I can't fly."

He raised an eyebrow at me, smirking as he passed. "Not very well, you can't."

I stared at him with widened eyes, taken aback. "Excuse me? I _fly_ fine!"

"Oh, yeah. Dropping out of the sky is _totally_ a sign of mastery." He snickered, perching on top of his staff a few feet away, his chin resting on his hand.

I rested my fists on my hips. "And I suppose _you've_ never fallen before?"

"_Well_, yeah, I have," he said slowly, "but I learned how to fly better, with time. I could help you."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What makes you think you can teach me how to fly?"

He dropped down to the ground, kicking up little eddies of snow as he landed, and leaned against his staff. "Do you see any others who fly the way you and I do?"

I let my hands fall to my sides, looking a little ways away. "No…."

"It's settled then." He lifted up into the air, zooming towards me, and tossed me up into the air.

"Gaah!" I gasped, arms flailing.

He grabbed my hand, keeping me from falling. "Don't freak out!" he laughed, face split by a grin. "Conflicting emotions will just drag you down!"

"Please don't give me a Peter Pan lecture." I groaned, feeling my wind swirl about my legs to keep me aloft.

He laughed, though his eyebrows dipped down to make him look confused. "Who?"

"You know, Peter Pan. 'Faith, trust and pixie dust'?" I offered when he still didn't seem to understand. I shook my head, smirking. "Never mind."

"No, I'm interested now." He chuckled, letting go of me when he realized I wasn't going to fall back down to the bridge. "What's this lecture I'm supposed to know?"

"Oh, you know… or I guess, _don't_ know," I smiled, correcting myself, "the whole concept of 'think happy thoughts' when flying."

He nodded, thinking it over. "Makes sense. Anyway, just floating here won't get you anywhere. Come on, let's go for a test flight!" With a blast of frigid air, he burst towards the sky. "Bet you can't beat me!"

My competitive spirit refused to let me even consider losing, and the race would probably take my mind off of my agitation towards Pitch. No, I wouldn't even think about him right now. I wanted to race, so I would. Setting my jaw, I exploded into the clouds after him, the air sensing my determination and aiding me by speeding me along. It wasn't long before I caught up to him, eyes burning from the cold.

He turned to look back at me, mischievous grin in place. "_There_ you are. Thought you weren't even going to try for a minute there."

"I'm not going to _try_." I smiled, passing him. "I'm going to _win_." Even though I had no idea where in the hell I was going. Wherever it was, I was going to get there, and fast. Jack's laugh was carried on a breeze to my ear as he zipped past me and down, drilling through the clouds.

"We'll see about _that_!"

* * *

"That _totally_ doesn't count as a victory." I argued, embittered, once I'd caught my breath. "I didn't even know where we were going!" We'd ended up on the other side of the gorge North's workshop was hidden in, looking down on the warmth of the lodge-like buildings and their rich lights that glittered against the ice. I wanted to go inside, tired of sitting in the snow, but the stars were so _fantastic_ up here.

He laughed at me from where he sat atop a snowy peak, me on a ledge just below him. "Then you shouldn't have agreed!"

I scowled at him, my eyes narrow, but said nothing. I stood up, brushing the snow from my legs, and fell backwards into the wind, letting it carry me towards the workshop and its promise of warmth and perhaps a mini-lesson in Russian. Maybe I could find out what those furry things were, while I was at it. I followed the wind down, towards the window I'd left through, but found myself drifting off before I actually went in, allured by how large and brilliant the moon was. I stared up at it, wondering how close I would be able to get to it.

"Manny's light is beautiful, yes?" North rumbled from behind me.

I turned to face him, noticing the black fur hat and lined coat he wore. Was he actually cold, or did he just like how it looked? I offered him a smile. "Yes, very beautiful."

He nodded, blue eyes sparkling. "Come, we go inside. There is much to talk about."

**A/N: Short chapter, I know. I'm so sorry, but it was a grind to get this one out. Damned writer's block. Anyway, next one will come out much better. I'll make an extra long one to make up for it, I promise. Oh! Also, I'll be going back to school tomorrow, so chapters might take a little longer to be made and posted (like three or four days), but not too long. Thank you for understanding! Pleeeeease review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Yeah! Chapter 5! And I have so many wonderful, absolutely beautiful people following/favoriting this story, not to mention my reviewers. Thanks guys, for your continued support. *wipes away tears* Anyway, here you go.**

I kicked the snow away that was caked to the bottom of my boots by the door, earning an annoyed glare from Phil the Furry Thing, who I stuck my tongue out at when North wasn't looking. I wrinkled my nose teasingly at the beast, smiling as it huffed and prattled on in its strange gibberish.

"Wisp, that is enough teasing of the yeti," North said, a mischievous gleam in his eye, "for now. Come!" he boomed, throwing his coat and hat at the annoyed-looking yeti. His boots thundered against the stone floor as he stomped along back towards what I assumed was his main office. Gazing around at the wondrous toys that filled the air around us, I felt a tinge of disappointment—I didn't have a camera to take pictures for Emmy. I stepped to the side lightly to avoid having an odd, illuminated blue jellyfish plow into my arm, legs feeling like lead as I picked my way through elves covered in ribbons, lights and cookie crumbs. I followed North's hulking figure, tripping occasionally.

"If you don't mind my asking," I started, wincing as my hip bumped against one of the enormous wooden work tables, "what exactly do we need to talk about?" I held up my hands in an apology when I almost toppled a complicated ice figurine of a toy a yeti was making, sending the creature into near hysterics.

The big man laughed, throwing open his office door and looking at me over his shoulder. "Many things."

I gulped, grabbing my wrist with my opposite hand to keep it from touching the icy spot on my neck, carefully hidden by my hair at the moment. This did not bode well for me. I stepped inside before him as he held the door open. "_Great_." I mumbled, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room as I waited for him to start in on me.

"Sit, sit!" he insisted amicably, pushing a worn, padded stool towards me. I hopped onto it quickly, unsure of how else to respond. It felt like being in a friendlier version of a principal's office. My back straightened, shoulders back, hands folded neatly in my lap. My ankles crossed primly beneath me, though my feet swung due to the stool's height. In one motion he swung himself into a chair, scooping low to relieve an elf of his tray of cookies, holding it out to me. "Cookies?"

Like I would turn down this giant's hospitality? Ha! "Yes, please. Thank you." I said softly, tentatively taking a snickerdoodle from the large silver plate. I watched as he popped an entire gingerbread man into his mouth with no trouble, letting out a small moan of delight. There was a light tugging at the low, torn hem of my sweater, and I looked down to see another elf offering me an ornate little golden goblet. I took a tiny, wary sip from it, the heavy metal cool against my lips, and felt foolish for my suspicion when it proved to be only egg-nog.

"Now!" he said loudly, causing me to jump and choke on a bit of cookie as he slapped his palms down onto his knees. He leaned forwards so that we were on the same level, azure eyes glittering. "Now, we talk."

I blinked at him, beating a fist against my chest to force the half-chewed cookie down before talking. "I'm not in trouble, am I?"

"No, no, Wispy." He laughed, draining his own cup in one swift gulp. "Not in trouble, but there are serious matters to be discussed. I have feeling you know already what lights on globe mean, yes?"

I paled at the assessing gleam in his eyes, clutching my goblet in my hands tightly. "Yes sir. They represent the children of the world who believe in you all, the Guardians I mean."

He nodded, pleased by the answer. "And who is it that taught you this?" he asked, though I had a deep, twisting feeling that he already knew.

"Pitch did." I admitted after a long hesitation, twisting my goblet between my fingers. My skin's brightness alternated back and forth between dim and bright in time with the nervous turning of my stomach. The light against the ice gave the room the vague feeling of being underwater. "He was the first of our kind that I met when I woke up."

"I know this." He chuckled, surprising me with how well he was taking this.

My brows pinched together. "But, how? How did you know that Pitch…?"

He leaned even further in, a deathly seriousness to his face as he cupped his enormous stomach in his hands and whispered, conspiratorially, "I _felt_ it. _In_ _my_ _belly_."

I squinted at him, confused. "Do you often feel things in your stomach? Are you sure you weren't just hungry again, or having indigestion?"

He threw his head back, his mirth echoing about the room. "Of course I am sure! This you need to learn, Wisp; never doubt my belly. More importantly, _never_ _doubt_ Man in Moon. _You_ are Guardian, too." He said with that seriousness again, grasping my shoulder firmly.

I shook my head, somewhere between annoyance and sadness. "I don't even really know what it is I'd do as a Guardian. You all seem to have it all pretty much covered."

"You would do as we _all_ do; protect the children, good or bad, naughty and nice."

I rubbed my eyes tiredly. Did we still need naps, too? I could certainly use one. "I can't do that. Not all children need protecting from simple disappointment, North. There are some kids out there that make Pitch look like Sandman. They're _awful_ to each other." Memories sparked behind my closed eyes even as I tried to rub them away, anger swelling in an acidic bubble in my chest.

North waited for me to drop my hands in my lap, looking back at him. "We protect children from more than just disappointment. We protect their hopes and dreams, their wonder. We protect them from fear. You did the same for your sister, when Manny chose you."

"I did what any good older sibling would've done in my circumstance, nothing spectacular. I'm not a Guardian; I'm just…Will-o'-the-Wisp."

He gave my shoulders a squeeze. "You are Guardian. Even if you do not think so."

"I don't think I'm not—I _know_ that I'm not." I said, hopping from the stool and holding my head when my vision started fading a bit. I shook it a bit and went to stand over by one of the windows looking out over the deep chasm below. "I can't be something that I don't hold all of the ideals of."

"You are just confused, this is all. You just were woken by Manny two nights ago, yes?" I nodded a confirmation. "You are tired?"

I let out a sleepy, humorless laugh. "_Exhausted_."

He let out a shrill whistle, causing me to wince. The door burst inward, a yeti standing in the open frame with a befuddled expression. "Take Wispy to guest room." He told it, pushing me lightly towards it.

"I can walk perfectly fine on my own." I scowled, yawning as I stumbled over a fire truck toy.

The yeti and North both ignored my false claim, the beast scooping me up behind my knees and catching me before I could hit my head on the floor. I marveled at how soft its fur was, how it smelled like fresh snow as it carefully backed out of the room with me in its care. I unabashedly buried my face in its shoulder, focusing on the gentle swaying motion made by every heavy step it took.

I was jarred back awake when it placed me on a bed in what I assumed was the guest bedroom. It was too dark to really make out any of the room's features, and honestly I was too tired to care as to what color the drapes were and whatnot. I closed my eyes, snuggling down into the cold pillows and curling up on my side on top of the covers. The yeti tip-toed out of the room and closed the door firmly behind it as I drifted back into unconsciousness.

* * *

I sat up in bed, looking around at my unfamiliar surroundings. A tall candle flickered in its holder on the small table next to the bed, casting shifting, deep shadows around the edges and in the corners of the room. The darkness pressed in, making it feel like I was in a cave. The scarlet covers were kicked down to the foot of the bed, spilling onto the thick rugs on the floor with one of the pillows in a river of velvet and furs. At some point an elf must've taken off my boots; I could feel the coolness of the sheets where my ankles showed between the edges of my black leggings and anklet socks (which had honestly seen better days. I should really stop by my old house and see if I could find a pair lying around, or just steal a pair from Jenna). I noticed how cold I really was the more alert I became. Gooseflesh developed along my chest and arms, and I started shivering violently.

Crawling towards the foot of the bed on my hands and knees, I tugged the covers back up to where they should be, layering the furs over the soft duvet to try and better trap the heat. The bed was too tall, however, to simply snatch the pillow up from where it lay despondent on the ground. With a sigh I eased myself down from the plush comfort, feet sinking into the icy, rich rug with each step as I padded over to where it was. Yep, there were my boots, sitting in the shadow of the trunk at the foot of the bed, just to the left of the pillow. I bent down, grasping the cold softness of the pillow case—

"_Wisp_," a voice whispered from the surrounding dark, sending a chill prickling up the back of my neck. I whirled around, dropping the pillow as I peered into the darkened corners. The candle's flame flickered and waved with the breeze that stirred at my unease, making the shadows shift and change dizzyingly.

I closed my eyes when the voice called again, enticing in its richness. And there, when it murmured the third time, was the trace of humor._ I know this voice_, I thought with a soft smile. "Pitch,"

The tiny flame died when I opened my eyes, plunging the room into complete blackness, save for the faint glow of my skin. I cursed at myself under my breath when I jumped at the barest touch of his palms along my shoulders, bared by the wide and shredded neckline of my sweater. I felt his breath against my cheek as he laughed softly, one hand brushing against my side, the other's fingertips ghosting along my jaw and making me shiver. I wasn't sure if I was a big fan of the strange way it made my chest constrict around my agitated heart.

"What is this, some new form of scare tactic?" I asked, proud to have kept the trembling from my voice, though I wasn't half as successful keeping it from my hands.

I bit my bottom lip to hold in a gasp at the feeling of his cool touch along the slice of exposed skin a bit below my waist, where there was a tear in my sweater. I could hear the grin in his voice as he chuckled, "_Perhaps_. Tell me, is it working?"

I smacked his hands away, using my luminescent hand like a flashlight to find and snatch up the pillow. "Not as well as you would hope."

He _tsk_ed lightly. "I'll have to try harder, then."

I backed up until my hip brushed the bed, my gaze focused blindly on the spot he'd been last. Gods only knew if he was still there. He easily could've teleported while I'd been backing away. I waited for a moment to see if he would do anything else, but nothing came, no laughter, no tricks. I carefully set the pillow amongst its brethren, slipping my foot between the box-spring and the mattress to give me a boost up onto the bed. I flipped onto my back with a sigh, scrubbing my hands through my hair and over my face in agitation. Part of me wondered how he could sneak in here without North somehow knowing, in all of his omniscience. Another, larger part wondered _why_ he would bother coming at all.

Then there was the little voice in the back of my head that told me to stop trying to solve him like he was a riddle instead of a man (not to mention the manifestation of fear itself) and just go the hell back to sleep. I liked that no-nonsense, sensible voice.

Shoving the matter of all things Pitch into the back recesses of my mind, I turned over onto my side, reaching out to grab one of the pillows to crush against my chest. Instead of sinking into cushiness, though, my hand found sculpted collarbone and muscle wrapped in flesh almost as soft as the material that brushed my wrist. I bolted into a sitting position, snatching my hand back. My alarm caused me to flare with the barest hint of flames, my skin almost scintillating and causing the area around me to be visible. I had been touching the area of skin exposed by the v-neck of Pitch's coat, his yellow-gray eyes glowing with mirth at my fright.

"Something the matter, Wisp?" he asked, eyes wide with false innocence.

I clenched my jaw, whacking him hard in the face with my pillow. "You insufferable _jerk_! What is _wrong_ with you?!" Could I smother him? If I could overpower him, the thought had some mild appeal.

His triumphant laugh lingered when he disappeared, sinking into the shadows. "Yes, I think that did quite nicely." I threw the pillow in the general direction of his laughter, snarling a bit in frustration and whirling around on the bed, mucking up the furs again.

There was a light caress along the back of my neck, causing me to whip around in time for his mouth to slant across mine. His dusk-colored eyes were hypnotic as he grinned, lips brushing against mine as he whispered, "Your fear is divine."

* * *

"_Pitch_!" I roared, snapping into an upright position and glaring against the brightness that blinded me, scaring a nearby elf nearly to death. I blinked around in confusion, taking in my surroundings. The bed looked mostly unused; the furs were folded neatly at the foot of the bed, the coverlet was wrinkled but otherwise was still made. My boots were still on, as if they'd never been taken off in the first place. The candle on the bedside table looked as if it hadn't been lit in this _century_, let alone last night.

But, hadn't Pitch been here last night? The room around me would belie otherwise. Was I just making up weird dreams about him now?! I hugged my arms to myself, scowling, the ice on my neck chilling my shoulder. With a mind of its own, my hand moved up so that my fingertips hovered over my lips, allowing myself just for a split-second to remember the wicked glint in his eye, the briefest pressure when he pressed his stupid, victoriously-grinning mouth against mine—

Tooth burst through the door, flitting about the room with her amethyst eyes wide as she searched for the named man, her clones just behind her. "Pitch? Where?!"

I swallowed hard, pressing one hand to my spasming heart. "It was nothing, Tooth. Just a messed up dream." _A really, really messed up dream_.

"Oh," she gave a half-hearted laugh, coming back to settle next to the bed, "would you like to talk about it?"

I grimaced. "I'd really rather not."

"Fair enough." She smiled, patting my hand. Her gaze was unnervingly focused on my mouth, as were her mini-Tooths'.

"What are you staring at?" I asked, leaning back warily as one of the little hummingbird-babies zipped a little too close to my mouth for comfort.

The tooth fairy gave herself a little shake, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, I just—your teeth are so pretty, as white as starlight! You obviously took good care of them." She gushed, leaning in close to look at them.

"Thank you. I, ah, floss really well." I said with a light blush.

"I _know_!" she squealed happily, quickly getting a hold of herself. "Sorry. Your teeth aren't really why I'm here."

_I should hope not_. "Why are you here, then?"

She gave me a pitying once-over. "Sweetie, have you taken a look at your outfit lately?"

I blinked at her. I'd come back essentially from the dead like three days ago. I hadn't exactly had the time to consider my wardrobe. "Ah, no, can't say as I have…. Did you have something in mind?"

* * *

Jack Frost was going to literally die laughing, this I had determined by the third extravagant costume Tooth had me try on. I pitched my headdress at him as he went into another bout of hysterics, the thin gold chains tinkling like the most delicate of bells as it collided with his chest. "Who invited you, anyway?" I snapped, stepping behind the antique dressing screen Tooth had brought with her.

"I'm sorry," he snickered, "I didn't know this was an invitation-only showing."

I hopped up a bit in the air, the scarlet feathers on my bodice ruffling with the wind and the full, shimmery-gold skirts poofing up around my legs as I glared at him over the ornately carved top of the screen. "It's not a _showing_." I snapped, fumbling a bit with the laces of the corset and shimmying out of the dress. It fell to the floor with a cloud of glitter and feather particles. As soon as it was off, Tooth's fairies were back with another outfit, this one a vibrant emerald dress with silver embroidery and a full, tutu-like skirt. They had it on me before I could decline, pinning a calla lily to my hair. They prodded and pushed me until I emerged from my hiding place, making motions for me to do a little turn and tittering encouragingly.

Tooth hovered in the air, her wings making an almost imperceptible humming sound as they beat too fast to really see, keeping her aloft. She grinned approvingly at my get-up. "I like this one much better than the last. What about you, Jack?"

"Can we go back to the enormous purple and fuchsia one?" he chuckled, turning the headdress over in his hands, his frost turning it a white-gold.

I shuddered, remembering how awful it had been. _All the _taffeta. "Let's not and say we didn't."

I ducked back around the screen, taking the flower out of my hair after a few failed attempts to snatch it from my floating locks. I struggled out of the dress and gave up trying to resist Tooth's offspring, eyeing the remaining options with mild curiosity. There was a pale pink, frothy thing that made me shudder, a long dress that faded from blue to pale violet at the bottom, an orange dress much like the green one I'd just rejected…. Where did she _find_ all of these? And why weren't there any pants? I flew, for crying out loud; my hair floated, and when I got any emotion it usually stirred up some kind of wind. The _last_ thing I needed was to pull a Marilyn Monroe while flying.

Surveying the other options, I finally caught a bit of black, and lunged to save it from where it was suffocating between a costume like Tooth's and a sunshine-yellow bubble dress. It had no feathers or glitter (a true bonus); the ebony-embroidered bodice had off-the shoulder cap sleeves that looked like black mist, and the full skirt was layered lace. Nothing too extravagant; best of all, it came with black fitted pants. "This'll do nicely, 'til I can get some of my clothes back from Emmy. Help me into it?" I asked the little Tooths (little Teeth? Teethlets?).

They laced up my back while I pulled on the pants, seeming pleased that I was finally working with them instead of against them. Oh, how I'd missed pants in these past few hours of torture! The fairies made soft sounds of approval, zooming in closer to view my teeth when I smiled at them in thanks. I gently poked them back a bit, pulling on my boots and smoothing my hair away from my face, save the portion hiding my frost-coated throat. Stepping out from the dressing screen, I waited for Tooth's (and Jack's, though I honestly wished he'd just go out and give some poor kids a snow day or something) opinion. "How's this one?"

"It's not very colorful, but it looks nice." Tooth thought aloud, flying a quick circle around me. "It suits you."

Jack nodded in agreement. "Much better than the purple one."

I picked up my old clothes where they rested on the floor by a chair, neatly folded by the ever-helpful fairies, and attempted to smooth the wrinkles from the dirty and torn fabric. The deep charcoal color of the sweater had faded to an almost foggy color, with a little dirt here and there along the hem and sleeves. Jenna bought me this sweater for Christmas last year with money she'd saved up from her birthday. I thought about how she'd yelled at Emmy back in her room about me being gone, her absolute refusal to believe that I could somehow still exist, and felt my enthusiasm for my new clothes crawl back to whence it came. _Well, at least I have Emmy._

I took a breath, as if saying goodbye, before letting the ruined clothes slide from my hands into a nearby garbage chute. When I turned back to Tooth, it was with a warm smile. "Thank you very much for the clothes, Tooth."

She flew at me, wrapping me in an embrace before I could even see it coming. "You're so welcome!"

I stepped back from her, about to ask what was next on the agenda, when a vicious pain ripped through my torso, stealing my oxygen with it and replacing it with complete despair. My bioluminescence flickered like a dying light bulb. My knees weakened and I crashed to the floor, clutching at my sternum and gasping as Tooth and Jack knelt in front of me, looking concerned.

"What's wrong, Wisp?" Tooth asked, lavender eyes wide with concern.

I shook my head. "I don't know. Something's wrong."

North burst into the room, swords drawn and blue eyes flashing. "What is matter, Wispy?"

"I don't know. I just… I'm so _sad_, just, out of nowhere." The assembled Guardians shared a quick _look_ over my head, making me nervous. "What? Do you know what this is?"

"Wisp, did you have someone who believed in you?" Jack asked, all traces of humor gone from his features.

I sat back on my haunches as the misery and tiredness started to fade. "Yeah. Emmy, my little sister…but what does she have to do with this?"

"Come!" North boomed, grabbing my arm in one of his huge hands and hauling me to my feet. He kept his hold on me as he tugged me from the room, Tooth stretching out her hands as if to catch me every time I stumbled on my shaky legs. "We go to sleigh!"

I turned to Jack, my brow pinched. "I don't understand. What's going on?"

He didn't answer me, but I noticed the slight tightening of his fingers around his staff.

"Is she okay? Is she hurt?" I felt my chest tighten in response to the thought of Emmy injured or in danger, my voice rising a bit with stress. If Emmy had gotten hurt while I'd been here playing freaking dress-up, I would throw myself into the chasm and not let the wind catch me.

Tooth patted my shoulder. "Your sister's fine, Wisp. Let's just worry about keeping you on your feet."

I ducked to avoid being whacked in the head with a support beam a yeti was carting around as we emerged into a bunker-like room, one side almost entirely made up of an enormous pair of doors. North passed me off to Tooth and Jack, disappearing into the doors. Within a matter of moments the doors exploded open, kicked by a team of reindeer the size of large horses. These were not the adorable reindeer I had grown up watching in cartoon Christmas specials with Emmy and Jenna; these were _behemoth_ reindeer. North's sleigh looked more akin to a fighter jet than the traditional sleigh, too, but that was kind of cool to me. North had his coat and hat back on, the reins in his hands as he beckoned for us to get in.

The polished wood was cool under my hands as I eased myself onto one of the benches after the others; though it wasn't cushy, as I was thrown back into the seat when North cracked the reins, sending the team racing forward into a launch-tunnel. I let out a delighted shriek as it sped up, blasting my hair back into Jack's face and feeling like a roller-coaster. We skidded and slid through the ice tunnel, even going upside down at one point. Jack's and North's laughter echoed around us as we shot into the sky, the sleigh rocking a bit as the reindeer climbed towards the heavens.

From where I was sitting in the back, I saw North pull something from his coat, shake it up, and throw it into the air in front of us. I gasped as it created a colorful warp, like something from a science-fiction movie. We zipped through it, and we were in front of my old house, the sun low in the sky. It must've been just at sunset. The sleigh descended in a wide circle towards the street.

I jumped out before it could touch the asphalt, tripping a bit on the roof before catching myself. I braced myself for what could lay in wait behind the window as I pulled it open, swinging myself inside. "Emmy?" I called, not caring to be quiet. Not like anyone else could hear me.

The evening filled the room with a scarlet light, illuminating Emmy's open door and empty room. I whirled around, searching, my heart racing with worry as I reached forward to rip the covers from her bed.

"Whoa there, Wisp! Take it easy." Jack said, a hint of a chuckle in his voice as he appeared in the open window behind me.

I turned to him, glaring. "'Take it easy'?! My sister is _missing_, Jack! I have this weird phantom-pain-misery _bullshit_ going on that I have no idea what it's for and none of you are giving me answers!" I raged, pitching Aria at him.

"_Emmy_!" I yelled again, shoving Jack out of the way and shooting out the window, my heart faltering when I started to fall. I set my jaw and continued on, towards the park. Every now and then I would drop a little, and I would curl up on myself, terrified, before continuing on. The wind wiped my hair from my face, as if comforting me.

I descended quickly at the sight of a familiar raven-haired girl sitting on the swings, sending tufts of grass flying and landing in a jog. "Emmy?!"

It _was_ her, her hair up in a ponytail and her pale green dress fluttering in a breeze. But there was something wrong—with a start, I realized that her expression was a lot like the one she'd worn when I'd first come back: despondent and void of hope. I crouched down in the wood chips in front of her, searching her gaze for some form of recognition, acknowledgement. "Hey, kiddo. I'm here, I'm right here; all you have to do is see me, _believe_ in me. You can do that, right? Emmy, please, don't do this." I reached forward to brush the loose lock of hair from her face.

"Emmy, c'mon. I want to go home now." A bored Jenna called from behind me.

"Emmy, no. Please." I said, feeling my heart lurch. She hopped to her feet, passing right through me, and walked off as I clutched at my torso, feeling as if she'd just kicked me in my solar plexus…which she just technically had.

The one person who could actually see me, talk to me, had abandoned me. Suddenly and absolutely.

Why? Why would she do this to me?

The sky turned a deep sapphire, and the first sob escaped from my chest. Then a second, and a third. I hugged my knees hard to my chest, the wind howling sadly around me. My inner light died and my hair feeling like it weighed about as much as I did, I turned my tear-stained face to the half-moon above me and wept.

**A/N: Almost 5,000 words! PLEEEEASE review! Any sort of comment is welcome.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: CHAAAAAPTER 6! That which normally comes after Chapter 5! Lol I bow before my followers/favoriters/ reviewers once again for being absolutely THE BEST and for supporting my story so far. I adore you all. Also, I apologize for the extended wait time for this update. School's prepping for EOCs and junk and it's all just very time-consuming and unpleasant. I own only my OCs and this plot, nothing more.**

I toed my way along the edge of a roof, sticking my arms out to the sides for balance. The wind pressed against my waist and hips for additional help, lifting my glimmering hair up from my softly glowing shoulders, and I smiled a bit as I blew an extra strand from my eyes.

I'd recovered from my temporary, abyssal depression. After the tears had stopped flooding my eyes, I'd wandered back to the house. Emmy's window had been closed and locked tight when I'd arrived, which was honestly the best thing for her to do safety-wise, she herself curled into a tiny ball under her covers. I'd sat with my back against her window sill for a bit, staring out into the night. I'd been that way when Sandy had come by on his glittering dream-sand cloud, had watched him spin Emmy's dream (which had been of her and bunnies—like, _lots_ of them. Really, the amount had been borderline absurd) and smiled when he gave me a little wave before departing presumably to the next town. After he'd left, I'd become restless, and had decided to _wander_.

That's what I was doing now. I had no idea of my location, where I was going, or if I even had a destination intended as I continued along the frost-coated shingles. The sky around me was packed with stars as I leapt over a side yard, the toe of my boot just brushing the top of the fence before I lighted on the top of a small icy fountain. I closed my eyes, taking a few deep breaths of the midnight breeze before taking another look around. The night was so nice, and this close to winter it was always so quiet, peaceful and_—what the hell was that?!_ I gasped mentally as a blurred shape passed inches from my face.

From the corner of my eye I saw the shadow dart between two half-dead azalea bushes, colorful _somethings_ floating behind it. My hair lashed at my eyes as I whipped around, peering in the dark for movement. When I saw a flicker a few houses down, I kicked off in its direction, letting the wind shoot me forward after it. I barely turned left in time to continue on its tail, my elbow scraping against brick. I pursued it through the night, the air cold on my cheeks and arms.

"Hey," I gasped, stretching out one lightly burning hand in an effort to catch it, "whatever you are, slow down, damn it! I'm not _that_ fast!"

All of the air whooshed from my lungs as a tree branch caught me in the stomach, halting my progress and spinning me away from the shadow into a koi pond in someone's back yard. I sputtered and spat to get the taste of stagnant water and algae out of my mouth, steam rising up around me where my flaming skin touched the water, the small pool now reduced to a large puddle. I pushed my hair back from my face, attempting to disentangle a charred water lily from it and not touch any of the distressed glittering fish. Along with the flower, a candy wrapper came away from my dripping locks, causing me to scowl with confusion.

"That was quite the fall you took," a husky voice chuckled from the shadow of the tree. My ears perked at the odd lilt of it, eliminating the chance that it could be Pitch.

My feet slipped a bit on the moss-coated stones as I stumbled to get free of the pond, the wrapper fluttering to the ground. Water droplets on my skin hissed as they evaporated from my silvery flames. "Who's there?"

My bioluminescence lit up the area around me, revealing burned aquatic foliage and yet more scattered wrappers. Milky Ways, Snickers, Nerds boxes, Twix minis, Laffy Taffy, several different types of gum… what the crap was with all the candy? I turned my gaze from the ground to the tree and let out a shriek, jumping a few feet back from the shadowed figure.

"Funny, didn't have you pinned as a screamer." He chuckled, popping a gum bubble. "Have to make a note of that for later. But where are my manners, keeping you in the dark like this?" His shadow shifted a bit and I was suddenly blinded by a burst of light.

"What—?" I opened my eyes a bit as the glare toned down so the light was just a soft glow, like candlelight, allowing my eyes to open the rest of the way once they'd adjusted.

The half-masked figure stuck out the gloved hand that wasn't holding a lantern for me to shake, grinning. "I'm Jack O'Lantern, Trickster extraordinaire. Who might you be?"

More candy wrappers fell from his torn sleeve as I shook the offered hand, the leather of the glove soft and supple beneath my fingertips. "Will-o-the-Wisp."

Now that we had sufficient lighting, I could see him better. He was clad in a black and white assemblage of Halloween costumes, all seemingly patched together to create his abstract ensemble, even his shoes. His hair was a shocking shade of brilliant orange, but his eyes were what were most compelling. Instead of normal irises, there was honest-to-goodness fire. His other hand spun an iron lantern engraved with scenes of kids getting treats and having a grand time on one side and in various stages of fear, crying or screaming on the other.

His burning eyes winked at me from his shadowed face as they widened, taking me in, and a grin curled his lips to reveal sharp teeth. "Huh. _You're_ a pretty one—tell you what, you can call me Trick."

I blinked at him, completely thrown off guard. "Ah, okay?"

I watched as he pulled a Starburst from thin air, unwrapping it with a few practiced flicks of his thumb, and tossed it back like it was a TicTac, tucking the wrapper into his cuff. "You must be new. I'd have remembered meeting a pretty face like yours."

"Yeah…." I arched back a bit as he loomed over me, looking off to the side. This guy—Trick—he was definitely a character.

"You don't really talk much, do you?" he laughed, leaning back on his heels.

I shrugged, my hair floating a bit with the motion. "Depends on my mood. Today's kind of been one of those days."

I watched him rip a bag of Skittles open with his teeth and pour them all down his throat, letting the wrapper flutter to the ground. "Fair enough. While this has been fun, and I'd love to spend some more time getting to know you, you've caught me at a bad time."

"Oh?" I asked, brushing a bit of fern off of my thigh.

He glanced at me from the corner of one eye, turning as if to leave and chuckling, "Yeah, I was on my way to meet up with a friend when you decided to begin the Hunt."

I couldn't help my curiosity being piqued at the idea of what Trick's friends might look like, or if they were as bad of sugar-junkies as he was. "Friend?"

"Yeah, you know, people that you hang out with, get along with, plot mastermind schemes with," he paused with a smirk at my laugh, "that kind of thing."

I rolled my eyes and wrinkled my nose teasingly at him. "I know what a friend is, Trick."

"Oh, good, 'cause I was going to get concerned for a moment" He winked at me. "Since you know what one is, be mine."

I frowned as he started to dash away, grabbing his arm. "Hey, hold on a second! Can I come?" I asked quickly, before I could lose my nerve.

His smile was wide as he gently untangled my fingers from his sleeve and ran a gloved thumb over my knuckles. "No can-do, lovely lass, not today. Maybe next time. Besides, I doubt you could keep up."

I planted my fists on my hips, cocking an eyebrow at him. "And what makes you think that?"

"The fact that you couldn't catch me the first time." He chuckled, tapping me under the chin. He let out a shrill whistle that rang through the night, pulling me to the side as an enormous horse manifested from the shadow of the tree, racing towards us like a bat out of hell. It sparkled darkly, and on closer inspection seemed to be made of grains of obsidian.

I looked from him to the horse and back as he mounted it in one fluid motion. "Is _that_ your ride?"

He shrugged. "She's on loan from my friend, who I am now late getting to."

"Oh, jeez." I said, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry. I'll just, ah, be on my way then." I gave him a little wave over my shoulder and jumped up into the breeze as it flowed past, letting it carry me with it.

"Hey, Wisp!" he shouted, making me turn back to him before the air could take me too far along. "Trick, or treat?"

I gave him a look that asked _what do you think?_. "Treat."

He turned the mare to face me as I floated, unlatching one side of his lantern. I watched him reach into it, his fingers coming away dripping flames that glowed crimson and gold. Under my observation they folded in on themselves and solidified into a sweet. "Baby, you can have all the treats you like." He said with a rakish wink, flipping it towards me like a coin. "When you want to hang out, let me know."

I closed my fingers around the cellophane wrapped candy securely, one side of my mouth quirking up. "I'll think about it. Catch you on the flip side."

"Damn right." He inclined his head to me before snapping the ebony reins and disappearing into the night.

I took a deep breath of the wind rustling around me, tipping my head back as I let the wind carry me where it wanted, letting my eyes drift closed. Look at me, making friends in strangers' back yards in the middle of the night and accepting candy from them. I snickered a bit at the thought of what my mom would've thought had she known what I was up to. She'd probably have something akin to an aneurism if she ever found out.

Opening my eyes, I kicked back on the wind as it lifted me higher towards the starry heavens, searching for the few constellations I knew. This was actually kind of nice, getting to do whatever I wanted, not having to constantly worry about how Jenna or Emmy were faring or what they were doing, whether or not they were at each other's throats again. Sure, I missed and worried about them, and Emmy's loss of faith in me had damn near destroyed my mental state for a moment, but not having to physically be there and handle their problems was… liberating.

"So, what do I want to do now…?" I mused aloud, slowly twisting so that I was looking down at the ground below me when I felt the air temperature drop several degrees. Huh, must've flown further than I thought if I was already almost back at North's place.

I drifted down towards Manny's window, sitting on its edge for a moment before dropping down to the workshop level, startling a poor yeti almost to death and almost standing on an elf. "Sorry, sorry!"

"Wispy!" North boomed, appearing at the second-floor railing, his face lit up merrily with his perpetual cheer. "I did not know you were coming for visit! Come, come!"

I smiled a bit and did as I was bid, landing softly beside him to be swept up in a boisterous embrace. I gasped for air once he released me. "Sorry, North. I can go if you're too busy."

"Nonsense!" he laughed, ushering me to his office where Russian orchestra music was being filtered from some unseen (probably magical) stereo. He had me sit on the same stool I'd occupied earlier, a small table next to it laden with silver trays of pastries and more egg nog. I glanced at him slyly as he went back to what he was doing. For not knowing I was coming, he sure was _prepared_….

A yeti came in with a blanket for me to settle across my lap, so large that it swept the floor underneath my tall seat. I thanked it, which seemed to make it very happy as it yammered on in a pleased tone before bowing out of the room, shutting the door behind it. I sat quietly as possible, watching him work and smiling as he hummed loudly along with every single song. I was glad the chainsaw station was on the other side of the room from me as he used it to cut through an enormous hunk of ice, carving out a slightly smaller hunk that he thrust amongst the various tools on the work table closest to me.

"Hey, North?"

He picked up a tiny pick, no bigger than my thumb. "Yes, Wispy?"

"Could I ask you something?" I took a careful sip of my egg nog, waiting.

The large man let out a chuckle, taking his focus from his work for a moment and meeting my gaze with his mischievous one. "You want another ride on the sleigh? This is understandable. _Everyone_ loves the sleigh."

I chose my words as carefully as he considered his collection of miniscule chisels. "While I did enjoy the sleigh, I know of someone who would like it even _more_…."

"Is this so?" he raised one brow at me, smiling like he knew what I was going to say next…which he probably did. The man seemed to know almost as much as the Man in the Moon.

I nodded. "My little sister, Emmy. Actually, I was wondering if you would be so kind,"

"Yes…?" he chuckled, leaning back a bit on his stool when I hesitated.

"…if it wouldn't be a bother… could you maybe let Emmy come up to see your workshop?" The last bit came out all in a rush, and I flinched a bit after I was done, waiting for the explosive 'no'. When I wasn't immediately denied, I hurried to try and explain myself. "Please, North? I promise I'll never ask anything of you ever again, I _swear_! It's just that I know Emmy's been having a hard time and I'm scared that her disbelief in me might be spread to all of you, even though she's the most vehement supporter of you all that I've ever met. That and I know she would just _love_ to see you and the elves and all of the toys, though she'll probably terrorize the yetis and—,"

"Alright, Wispy, alright!" North laughed, spinning a bit away from me on his stool with his hands protecting his ears from my babble.

I felt my eyes widen. "Do you mean it?"

He stroked his snowy beard thoughtfully. "No child has ever been to the Pole before. It might be interesting to see, yes?"

I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his large torso in a hug. "Thank you so much!"

"You are welcome." He patted my back as I released him, returning to my stool and the warmth of the blanket. "I must get back to work now—Christmas is coming soon!"

"Okay, I'll get out of your hair then. Bye!" I said, zooming from the room in my giddy triumph and closing the heavy door behind me. Yes yes yes yes! Emmy was going to get to see the Pole! I did a little dance in front of North's office door, imagining the look on Emmy's face.

Jack's laugh jerked me from my thoughts, though my victorious grin stayed in place. "You look extremely pleased with yourself. What's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm just being a dork." I shrugged, lacing my fingers together.

From the look on his face, Jack wasn't buying it. He leaned against his staff leisurely, smirking in his perpetual way. "Uh-huh, sure."

"Emmy's going to get to see the Pole!" I blurted, unable to hold it in anymore as I leapt up into the air, practically writhing with happiness.

Jack used his crook to bring me back to floor level, chuckling. "No way, your little sister's getting to come up _here_? Did North give the okay?"

I nodded emphatically, twisting free to perch on the railing and swinging my legs. "Yep! I can't wait to see her face!"

Jack's smirk slipped a bit as he sidled up to the rail next to me. "I'm sorry, by the way. About your sister not believing in you anymore."

I stiffened, my despair trying to crawl its way from the hole I'd shoved it in. I hopped into the air, floating in the space between the rail and the massive globe. "I don't want to talk about it, Jack. Please." I added when he opened his mouth to continue. "I just—I can't. Not yet. Maybe in a few years or something, okay? Thanks."

I turned away from him to survey the millions of little flickering lights as the globe slowly turned, hugging myself. The candy that Trick gave me dug into my elbow from where I still had it in my hand.

I bit my full bottom lip, turning the candy over in my fingers. I wondered how Trick was doing, if his friend was upset with him for being late to their secret meeting, why I couldn't come, too. Thinking about Trick somehow turned into me thinking about Pitch, and that led me to think about the dream I had of him. I felt my cheeks warm, and I pressed my free hand to my mouth to try to hide the smile growing there.

_Ugh, you're so stupid_, I thought to the smile. That did nothing but make it grow bigger, and I sighed in frustration. Why couldn't I make myself stop smiling? It was just a strange dream (a stupid one), completely nonsensical. Pitch wouldn't kiss me. Terrorize me, yes. Play mind games, yes. But not kiss me.

_So why are you still thinking about it?_ A little voice in the back of my mind teased.

"Shut _up_." I whispered to myself, rubbing my temples tiredly.

**A/N: Thank you all again tremendously for being so patient with me! You are my moon and stars. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Whatever your feelings, PLEASSSSSE REVIEW! THEY ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Pitch is back, back again. Pitch is back, tell a friend. Chapter 7 is here! Thank you to my reviewers for the last chapter: gaara's-baby-gurl17, Starcrier, Tbird12355 and brebre277, and to all of those who've favorite and/or followed this story thus far. Once again, I own naught but my OCs.**

I thanked the yeti that I'd had lead me back to my guest room, waving it off before gently closing the heavy door. _Were there any female yetis_? I wondered. _Or did girl and boy yetis all look the same? Hmmmm…._ I shook my head to clear it of the thought and let out a long steady sigh to try to relieve some of the excitement, rolling my shoulders.

I shut the candy Trick gave me in the little drawer in the nightstand, praying that one of the sugar-crazed elves wouldn't find it and devour it. I hopped on one foot to rip off my boots, tossing them in the vague direction of the foot of the bed (and probably missing my mark terribly). I pulled the covers back and eased into the frigid bed, teeth chattering and body trembling with the cold. I rearranged the duvet and furs and hoped they'd get warmer faster.

I curled up on my side facing the candle on the nightstand, pulling the blanket tighter under my chin and snuggling deeper into the pillows. I wasn't tired, though, no matter how hard I tried to sleep. I scratched the icy area on my neck in irritation. I should really find a way to get it taken off soon. Maybe North could chisel it off or something. The mental image of it made me snicker.

Risking the cold, I reached one arm out and lightly touched my pale fingertip to the dusty wick of the candle. _What the hell, I ignite when I get emotional. Maybe I can put it to use…?_ I let out a little, elated gasp when the old wick burst into flame, smiling in wonder_. Huh, the things you learn_.

The tiny flame was just enough to illuminate the immediate area, including the tall dark figure that came stepping from the shadows. I leapt up into a sitting position, my back connecting hard with the headboard.

"Ooh, have I _actually_ managed to scare the fearless Wisp?" My hammering heart slowed at the familiar chuckle, my adjusted eyes finally registering his dusk-colored gaze.

"Pitch," I sighed, feeling the corners of my lips tilt up a bit despite myself, "I think both of us know I'm not fearless."

He laughed a bit, coming more into the light generated by both me and the candle. "Oh, I know. I always know people's fears."

I swung my legs over the side of the bed, shivering at the slight draft. "What're you doing here, Pitch?"

He inspected the small guest room I inhabited with boredom before turning back to me, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I thought I'd come see if you wanted to have a bit of fun. Unless you're too tired, of course."

Fun? I could do fun. "No, I just didn't know what else to do. What kind of fun do you have in mind?" I asked, hearing the excited tremble in my voice as I got up hurriedly to hunt for my boots.

His laugh echoed richly in the dark. "You'll find out soon enough. Come out to the roof of the workshop when you're ready."

"But I'm ready—," I turned around, hopping on one foot to pull on my boots in turn as I twisted to look back at him, "—now." I sighed, finding Pitch having gone ahead without me.

Leaning over to blow out the candle, I pulled my candy out from the drawer and tucked it in my pocket before I could forget it, turning to open the door. Pushing my hair back from my face I cautiously stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, keeping an eye out for dessert-laden elves or yetis. Finding none, I cautiously headed further down the hall, tiptoeing away from the noise of the workshop. The plush rugs absorbed the sounds of my footfalls as I searched for doors or a window out.

The hallway turned left, and I followed the curve to find a large window looking out into the canyon. I did a little victory dance at having found it. After my mini congratulatory pat on the back, I undid the brass latches locking the window and eased it upward, snow drifting in to melt into the rugs and me struggling under its weight. I got it open just enough for me to be able to slide out before it caught on the warped frame. That would have to do, I supposed.

I cast another wary look around the vacant corridor before slipping out into the snow-filled air. I turned back long enough to close the window, trying not to slam it accidentally or shut my fingers in it. I felt like a teenager escaping to go to some ridiculous party. Honestly, I probably would've just gone out Manny's window again if I hadn't been worried about North asking me where I was headed. He already knew I hung out with Pitch, true, but that didn't mean that he agreed with it. And considering how I was currently boarding under the man's roof, I didn't want to upset him. Besides, he had more than enough to worry about with Christmas coming up soon.

I slinked underneath the windows until I was against the cliff-face, rising steadily up and alighting on the domed top of the workshop. My arms ignited a bit to combat the surrounding cold and keep me warm.

Pitch materialized from my shadow, making me jump a bit. "Damn it, Pitch, do you _have_ to do that?" I growled, turning to face him.

"Does it bother you?"

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Kind of, yeah."

He bared his teeth in a wicked grin, clasping his hands behind his back. "Then of course, I must."

"Jerk." I said, wrinkling my nose teasingly at him with a slight smile. "So, what're we doing up here, anyway?"

He paced a few steps around to my other side, eyeing me from his peripheral vision. "How are you with horses?"

I felt my brow pinch, confused. "I'm okay, I guess. Why?"

With absolutely no warning, a familiar-looking horse exploded from the night sky, rearing to a stop right in front of me. I raised my arms up over my head in a defensive maneuver, peeking in the space between my arms at it. It was actually really pretty, despite the whole disconcerting yellow eyes and I'll-kill-you-strange-flamey-girl-thing attitude it seemed to have going for it.

"Whoa, girl! Easy now, easy." Pitch slid into the space between me and the horse as it settled on all fours, stroking its nose lovingly. "There's a good girl."

I lowered my arms, watching the horse as Pitch murmured low in her ear, smiling easily. "Is she yours?"

Pitch hummed low in his throat, moving on to stroke the mare's back and meeting my gaze with his. "Yes. Isn't she pretty?"

"Not pretty. _Beautiful_."

Pitch's smile grew. "Would you like to ride her?"

_Oh my dear gods_ yes_!_ I shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess."I took a careful step forward, eyeing the large horse doubtfully.

"Don't be scared; it'll only rile her up."

I cast a glare in his direction. "I'm not scared." Reaching out, I laid first my fingertips against her slightly grainy nose, then my palm, taking another step closer to her and resting my other hand on her neck. The horse whinnied a bit, giving me a look as if to say _What the fuck, shouldn't you be terrified about now?_

Keeping one hand on her, I slowly strode around to her side, letting the air give me a boost just big enough to get me on her back. I straddled the horse, digging in my knees a bit for balance and burying my fingers in her oddly textured mane. If I didn't know any better, I would think she was made of sand or something. The horse snorted and stomped a bit, but didn't actually fight me as I settled.

Pitch seemed mildly impressed at how I handled the mare, his head tilted a bit to the side. "You did much better than I thought you would."

"Thanks?"

He grinned at me as another, similar horse materialized beside him, swinging himself up onto it. "Let's see if you can ride, shall we?"

I felt my eyes widen, "Hey, hold on a sec! I don't really know how to—!" I cut off with an exhilarated yell as the demon horse took off like a shot after Pitch and his ride, switching my hold on the horse so I was hugging its neck for dear life. Ability to fly momentarily forgotten, I was terrified that if this horse threw me I would be a goner. My hair snapped and flapped in the air, the wind having extinguished my flames and making me shiver. Snowflakes kissed my cheeks and shoulders.

"You alright, Wisp?" Pitch chuckled, slowing so he was beside me as we continued through the night sky. My mare slowed as well, following his lead.

I straightened to a sitting position, keeping my fingers twisted in the horse's gritty mane. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just wasn't really expecting the horse to take off like that."

"She just did it to spook you." He chuckled.

_It worked_. Not that I would admit it. Not to him. I leaned my head back, taking in the starry sky that surrounded me with wide eyes. "It's gorgeous out here!" I closed my eyes, feeling the breeze flow through my hair. The air was warmer, wherever we were. "Hey, I'm sorry, you know. For yelling at you back at your place."

I glanced at him to see him looking at me, bewildered.

"What's the matter, Pitch?" I asked, concerned.

He shook his head, smirking wistfully. "Nothing. No one's ever apologized to me, that's all."

I resisted the ridiculous urge to hug him. "First time for everything."

"I'm sorry about your sister."

Misery reared its ugly head in my heart and started gnawing at me at the mention of Emmy. My hair settled heavily around me, my happy shimmer fading. "Please don't."

"I have to. After all, it is my fault." My head snapped around to face him, disbelieving what I was hearing. "Well, me and my associate's faults. I'm not solely to blame here."

"What did you do?" I whispered as Despair joined Misery inside of me.

Pitch gave me a sympathetic look, reaching out to rest one long-fingered hand on my shoulder and brushing my heavy hair from my neck. I was too in shock to smack his hand away. "I'm so sorry, Wisp. I didn't know how much it would hurt you—,"

Fury stomped Despair and Misery back into the dust and took over control of my emotions. I shoved him back with something akin to a snarl, almost knocking him free of his horse. My skin ignited with twice the burn it had before, and my horse shifted uncomfortably beneath me. "How dense can you possibly _be_?! Of _course_ it would hurt me! She's _my little sister_, you insufferable _ass_!"

Pitch directed his mare away from me, trying to maintain a reasonable distance between us. "I was trying to help you, Wisp!"

"How do you figure?!" I snapped, pursuing him through the night sky.

"Think about it for a moment. If Emmy still believed in you—,"

My glare intensified. "Don't you dare say her name."

He continued on as though I hadn't spoken. "—you would've gone on to become a Guardian, wouldn't you? She would've swayed you into thinking that you could have any plethora of believers." He started towards me, staring me down. "But what if you didn't get any more believers? What if all you had was her? She wouldn't believe in you forever—she _couldn't_. She's just one little, mortal girl after all. Tell me Wisp, what do you think would happen when she died?"

I felt my Anger begin to subside at the thought, Despair coming back in its stead. "I don't want to hear this."

"You need to, though. If you were a Guardian with only her to rely on, and she died, do you know what would happen to you? You would _cease to exist_." The last part he enunciated clearly, every syllable branding itself into my brain as I stared at him in horror, watching him sidle up close. A tiny hissing sound made me realize that I was crying, the tears evaporating once they hit my cheeks.

My flames died to my simple, flickering glow as I swallowed my sobs, internally trying to wrestle my sadness back into the hole from whence it came. "And how do you figure having no believers as being better than having just _one_?" I croaked.

"That's the best part," he murmured in my ear, making me shiver. "You can have all the believers in the _world_."

"Pitch, you're not making any sense."

He chuckled a little, looking more relaxed now that I'd stopped burning. "It'll make sense soon."

I glared at him from the corner of my eye. "It would help if you weren't so damn vague about it all."

He threw his head back with a laugh. "I like you Wisp. You're keeping things interesting around here." He paused for a moment, thinking. "Have your new _friends_ offered to help get your sister to believe in you again?"

"No," I drawled, eyeing him suspiciously. Surely he wasn't suggesting that he would help me with Emmy.

"I see." He turned to me, clasping my hands between both of his. "I was wrong to take your sister from you. I of all people understand what it's like without a family. Tell you what—I'll get her back for you."

I scowled at him, confused. "You will?"

"What, you don't believe me?" he asked, his smile falling as he sat back, his gaze hardening a bit. His expression was guarded, like stone. "Or are you afraid to trust me?"

"I've never been afraid of you." I said matter-of-factly.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh?"

I shook my head, smiling lightly at the memory. "Nope. Because I had a trundle."

His face contorted with his inability to understand. "A…trundle?"

"Yeah, the extra little bed that goes underneath a daybed. It left enough space for me to be able to play in my room with the added benefit of there being not enough room for a certain Boogeyman." I smiled at my adolescent mind's cleverness. "Jenna got the bed when I got too big for it. Emmy had it for a while, too, but she rolls around so much that we had to get her a new bigger bed."

"I pop out of shadows all the time, and you think I can't fit between a bed and a trundle?" Pitch chuckled, looking at me crossly.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, I know that now. I didn't know it when I was younger." I looked him in the eye, all humor gone from my voice. "Do you mean it, what you said about helping Emmy believe in me again?"

He grinned at me. "Of course I do."

I gripped his upper arm, staring him down. "I'm trusting you, Pitch. Don't let me down, okay?" I ignored the tendrils of fear that he always gave off, focusing on the soft material of his sleeve. He nodded, struck silent by my expression. "Awesome. Let's go!"

"Easy, Wisp." He chuckled, sticking out a hand to stop my mare from racing towards home. "We'll need one more person for our agenda."

I chewed the inside of my cheek, thinking. My fingers delved into my pockets, pulling out the candy Trick gave me, which I carefully unwrapped before sticking it in my mouth so it wouldn't go plummeting through the clouds below. It had an odd flavor: caramel at first, rich and sweet, before instantly lighting my mouth on fire with warmth and spice. I coughed, clutching my throat. What the hell kind of candy was this?!

"Wisp, are you alright?" Pitch asked, face genuinely concerned as he rested a hand on my shoulder.

I stuck the candy in my cheek so I could talk, opening my mouth to tell him not to accept candy from strangers, when a blur of black burst between Pitch and I, blowing him back from me and knocking me free from my mare to drop through the sky. I let out a shriek, grabbing at the air until it caught me like a safety net. The force of my halted momentum caused the candy to go flying from my mouth, but I was kind of okay with that. I wiped the back of my hand across my mouth in agitation and rose back up through the cloud coverage to see Pitch talking with Trick.

I wanted to smack my forehead. Of _course_ Trick and Pitch would be best friends. I _knew_ the damn horse looked familiar! I continued my ascent until I was back with the others, smoothing a few strands of hair from my eyes.

Trick was recovering from laughing at my expense. He stopped chuckling when he saw me, straightening from his bent-at-the-waist position with a smirk. "Hey there, Gyl-Burnt-Tail. Sorry about knocking you from your mare."

_Gyl-Burnt-Tail? What?_ I shook my head. _Whatever_. "Where was the fire?" _And what the hell was with that candy?_

He raised an eyebrow, shrugging elegantly and inhaling a Take 5. "I couldn't help myself—a lovely lass was calling for my aid."

I rolled my eyes. Who knew the incarnation of Halloween would be an incorrigible flirt? "So you're going to help us get my sister to believe in me again?"

He gave me a courtly bow. "Your wish is my command. I will give it my best."

* * *

"Be careful with her," I whispered, watching as Pitch and Trick slipped the covers back from Emmy's stirring form from where I leaned against her door. I hugged myself as she opened her eyes slowly, blinking owlishly between Pitch and Trick. The dream-like quality evaporated quickly when she recognized the pair to be the Boogeyman and a man with teeth like a shark's.

Pitch settled one hand gently on her tiny shoulder, and I eyed critically her small form as she started to shake with fear. She opened her mouth as if to call out to someone but visibly stopped herself, clutching her hands to her chest.

"Hello, Emmy. How are you tonight?"Trick asked softly, resting his lantern on his knee as he sat on the edge of the bed in front of her.

She didn't answer, her eyes enormous as she blatantly stared at his mouth in terror.

"This isn't working." I said anxiously, beginning to pace.

Trick's head lolled back so he could face me. "It isn't _going_ to work if you don't give it a chance."

"Wh-who are you talking to?" Emmy stuttered quietly, eyes darting between me and Trick.

"It's just Wisp; don't worry, she's really nice." I stuck my tongue out at him, making him grin in response.

Emmy frowned, confused, companions momentarily forgotten. "What's she like?"

"She's got these big gray eyes, kind of like yours, and long, starry hair—," Pitch began, his rich voice low and soothing like he was talking to a wild animal.

Trick piped in, interrupting him. "She's also got a bit of a temper, and she _glows_, when she's not on fire."

Emmy's head snapped around to him from where she was staring at Pitch's yellow-gray eyes. "Myra? You know Myra?!"

"Emmy? I'm right here!" I stopped trying to wear a hole in the carpet at the sound of my name, quickly crossing over to her bed. I reached out to touch her cheek, but my hand passed right through her, and I felt my small hope begin to die, my glow flickering. I slapped Pitch's hand away when he tried to comfort me, beginning my pacing anew.

"Of course we do!" Pitch encouraged, throwing his arms wide. "Don't we, Trick?" Trick nodded his assent.

Emmy shook her head, eyes dimming. "No, no you can't. You have to be lying. Myra's _gone_." She whispered, hugging her knees to her chest. I pressed the heels of my hands to my eyes briefly to keep from crying, digging my nails into my hairline.

Trick _tsk_ed at her, crossing his arms over his formidable chest. "Come now, lass, you're breaking your sister's heart!"

"No I'm not, because she's not here!" Emmy insisted.

Pitch's face lit up as an idea occurred to him. "What if we can prove it to you?"

"What're you planning, Pitch?" I groaned, resting my forehead against the wall farthest from the bed tiredly.

Pitch only response was a wicked smile.

**A/N: *gets down on knees* PLEASE REVIEW! I BEG OF YOU!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you again to my new favoriters and followers, and an immense THANK YOU SO MUCH to my last chapter's reviewers: Stille Contrast, LuluCalliope, Starcrier, ShiroKoneko82, and NightmareFlames. Once more I own nothing but my OCs and this plot. Read and enjoy!**

Infuriating smile still on his lips, Pitch secured an arm around Emmy's slender shoulders as one of his shadows swallowed them and Trick, leaving me standing alone in the dark room. I muttered a curse and rushed over to the window. I wasn't scared that Pitch and Trick would hurt her—I _was_ scared that she would go into a panic attack if left alone with them for too long. They weren't exactly the friendliest-looking people. My thumbs slipped a bit on the latches securing it. With a grunt I threw it open and ducked out, cursing again when I tried to catch it before it could crash against the sill and ended up getting my fingers jammed. Easing my throbbing fingers out of the window, I whipped my head around to try to see where they went, if it was nearby. I spotted them in front of the neighbor's house, one of Pitch's demon horses cantering towards them. I leapt down from the roof with a scowl, lightly landing on the sidewalk.

"Pitch, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I asked, my boots clicking an angry staccato beat as I stalked towards where Trick and Pitch stood with Emmy in the middle of the road. Trick was becoming better acquainted with Emmy, showing her his prized lantern and creating forms of flowers and animals from its flames; orchids, roses, elephants and tigers and, best of all, a little fire bunny. Her eyes were bright with wonder, though they flicked a glance at Pitch anxiously when she thought he wasn't looking.

Pitch raised an eyebrow as my inner glow brightened with my agitation, reaching out to stroke the neck of his mare as it shied away from my luminescence. "No need to get aggressive, Wisp. I'm trying to help you, remember?" He said with a light chuckle, tweaking the mare's ears and stroking its nose adoringly.

I felt my gaze soften, my blinding light dying down to the brightness of candlelight, and tried to get my stress under control. "I know, and I appreciate it so much. Really, I do. It's just," I sighed a little, watching her play with Trick as she warmed up to him, marveling at how he could inhale an entire king size Hershey's bar in one bite, "she's my little sister."

Pitch grinned, brushing some of my shimmering hair from my shoulder. "Don't worry so much! I promise, Emmy will believe in you before the night is through."

"How can you be so sure?"

I felt my face warm a bit as his hand slid down my arm to lightly squeeze my fingers. "Just trust me." He turned towards Emmy and Trick, leading the horse along with him. Emmy looked up from watching Trick consume mass quantities of sugar at the sound of Pitch's approach, her eyes widening at the sight of the mare. I stepped forward as the horse started to get antsy, snorting and stomping, but Pitch motioned for me to stay put. Trick came to stand beside me, leaving Emmy with Pitch and the hell-horse.

"Leave it to him, lass." Trick murmured, rubbing my shoulder in what was supposed to be a soothing manner, though I could feel the restrictive intent behind it. I chewed the inside of my cheek, my heartbeat a dull roar in my ears and eliminating any other sound. Pitch held out a hand to Emmy, which she tentatively took, and tugged her towards the horse. At his touch I saw her breathing become more erratic, and I knew that the fear he gave off in waves was getting to her. He lifted her up at the waist and put her on the mare, swinging up onto it behind her and taking off into the sky. I shoved Trick away roughly, feeling my heart drop to my stomach as Emmy's shriek finally registered. I threw myself into the air after them, Trick's voice nonsensical babble in my mind as he tried to keep up with me on his loaned steed.

I burst through the cloud barrier and screamed to a halt a few feet from Pitch. Emmy was turned halfway around and was clutching his midsection, his identity as her worst nightmare momentarily forgotten as she stared down at the clouds below her. Oh gods, if she had a panic attack up here and fell off the damned horse….

Pitch was talking low to her as if to calm her, though the smile on his face meant he was enjoying her fear. Damn Boogeyman. "Now now, Emmy. It's so nice up here, won't you look around? Look at all the stars!" At his urging she looked from the clouds to the scintillating heavens, not releasing her grip on his coat front.

"What are you playing at, Pitch?" My voice was low with warning, my eyes narrowed on him.

He ignored me. "Do you miss your sister?"

Emmy nodded, making my heart squeeze.

"That's silly, considering how she's right here, next to us." He chuckled, waving one hand at me. "You can't miss someone if they're _here_. Tell you what; your sister would never let you get hurt, right?" Emmy nodded that this was true, though her face showed her confusion on the matter. "Then she wouldn't let you fall back down to the ground."

_What_?

Emmy frowned up at him. "I don't understand."

Pitch shrugged. "You want proof that your sister is still here? That's the best proof there is."

"Pitch, you can't be serious!" I gasped, my heart thundering in my chest. "I can't catch her if she doesn't believe! She'll _die_!"

Trick popped back a caramel candy before speaking his piece. "Either way, this'll be good for the both of you."

"_Trick_!" I gasped, staring at him.

Emmy struggled to hold on to Pitch, looking absolutely terrified. "No, no! Please, stop!"

"Pitch, don't do this!"

Pitch leaned in to Emmy. "I suggest you start believing in her." With that he unclenched her hands from his coat and lightly dropped her from the horse, as if he was setting her on the ground instead of letting her plummet through the sky.

"_EMMY_!" I screamed, rocketing after her. _Oh my god_, I couldn't believe them! I thought they were going to _help_ her, not _murder_ her! The wind made my hair snap around me, stinging my cheeks and bringing tears to my eyes. I stretched my arms out to catch her as I got closer, her screams tearing at my heart. _Come on Emmy. You can do it—just believe in me. Believe in me, believe in me, believe in me!_ I snatched at her flailing hands, snarling in frustration when I passed right through her but trying again repeatedly anyway. Maybe I could believe enough for both of us. Maybe if I was stubborn enough….

_Damn it, Emmy, I can't do it all. I _need_ you to believe in me._

Emmy was sobbing now as she fell, tumbling and spinning with her arms being tossed around. I could see the town coming into focus beneath us, and my efforts became more frantic. I tried grabbing for anything; her hand, her sleeve, her elbow, an ankle, _anything_.

Emmy gave a sorrowful hiccup. "M-m-mmm-m—," she stuttered.

My hands glowed bright with my hope. _Come_ _on_, _kiddo_….

"_Myraaaaaa_," she wailed, clutching herself for comfort and squeezing her eyes shut. The air whooshed out of my lungs, and this time when I grabbed for her waist, I made contact.

With a victorious roar, I pulled her close to me, hugging her within an inch of her life as the air around us tightened like a net, slowing our descent and bringing us to a complete stop a few feet above the sidewalk. Emmy's eyes popped open when the impact never came, and the whites of her eyes were visible around her deep gray irises as she stared at me in complete shock. Her hair was a tangled halo around her head as she gazed up at me. "Myra?" she whispered.

"Hey there, babycakes." I chuckled, feeling on top of the world. "Did you miss me?"

Her eyes welled with more tears as she threw her arms around me, burying her face in my neck as she cried. Her hot tears sizzled as they slid down my back. I rubbed soothing circles on her back and waited for her to be done, resting my cheek on the top of her head.

"Yeah, I missed you too." I laughed, blinking hard as my vision started to get blurry. I planted a kiss on her forehead, cradling her in my arms briefly before setting her back on the ground softly, smoothing her wreck of messed-up hair from her face. Her small hand clutched at mine, squeezing my fingers so hard I thought she'd break them. With her other hand she scrubbed at her eyes, her breath hitching in her chest.

I turned at the sound of hooves clattering against the pavement. "Emmy sweetie, close your eyes and cover your ears." Motioning for her to stay put, I marched forward to where Trick and Pitch stood, there mounts nowhere to be seen.

"Way to go, foxfire." Trick grinned, holding out his arms. "See? We told you it'd be—!" He cut off with a yell as my fist connected with his cheek, snapping his head to the side. I caught the hem of Pitch's long coat under my boot as he attempted to retreat and gave him the same reward.

"_You oblivious assholes!"_ I snarled, rubbing my throbbing knuckles, my skin ablaze with flames almost as long as my arm. "How could you _do_ that?! She's eight years old!"

Trick rubbed his bruising jaw. "She's _fine_!"

"She could've _died_!"

"But she didn't." Pitch said, expression steely. "Do you really believe we would've done something so drastic if we weren't absolutely positive it would work? More to the point," he continued when I opened my mouth to retort, "she believes in you again. Isn't that a good thing? It worked, Wisp." He smiled, clasping his hands behind his back. "Really, you should be thanking us."

I worked my mouth, trying to think of something witty to respond with, before sighing in defeat, my flames dying out. With a sigh I threw my arms around the both of them, drawing them close for a hug. "Thank you both, thank you so much." I rested my head where their shoulders met, resisting the urge to break down and start crying like, well like Emmy. Which no one would want to see. EVER. I broke out of the embrace abruptly, glaring daggers at them. "But so help me, if either of you ever tries another stunt like that with her again, I'll—,"

Trick held up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "She's off-limits, got it. Don't worry about it." He ripped the tops off of several packages of Pixi-Stix with his teeth and poured them all down his throat.

"As long as that's understood, we'll be fine." I felt a tugging at my dress and turned to see Emmy hiding behind my legs, giving Trick the evil-eye. Pitch she would always be afraid of, but Trick had practically befriended her before letting her fall. He was definitely in the dog house with her. "Yes, kiddo?"

"You don't hang out with them, do you Myra?" she whispered, taking my hand.

I smiled at her, crouching down to her level. "Yeah, I kinda do. But they're really not usually that bad, for a bunch of weirdos. They were just trying to help me get you back, that's all."

She was still trying to melt Trick with her eyes alone. "Do you have any…better friends?"

I smiled at her, tapping her under her chin. "Hey, don't be rude, 'kay? They're not the best, but they are still my friends." I gave it a moment's hesitation. "I do have other friends, though, yeah."

Trick cleared his throat, kneeling down at Emmy's level. "Ah, about earlier, Emmy, I'm sorry." He held out a big bag of cherry Twizzlers for Emmy, making me smirk. Those were her favorite; she loved to unpeel them and braid the strands before devouring them. She must've told him they were her favorite while they'd been bonding. It was amusing to see the Trickster looking so contrite. She snatched the bag from him, clutching it to her chest. She didn't thank him or forgive him, but she did stop glaring at him, even managing one of her wonderful little smiles.

"Okay, kiddo, back to bed." I ordered, laughing when she clambered onto my back like a little monkey, her arms locked around my neck and cutting off my air a bit. "Be back in a minute." I called over my shoulder at the guys before hopping up to Emmy's window, sliding it open with my foot and ducking through. She giggled when I tugged her off and tossed her back onto her bed, tucking the covers back around her snugly.

Emmy gave a large yawn. "Do you have to go?"

"Yeah," I smiled, smoothing her bangs back from her eyes. "But I might have a surprise for you tomorrow—_if_ you're good for Mom."

She snuggled down into her mountain of pillows. "I promise. Goodnight, Myra."

I kissed her temple. "Goodnight, Emmy." I whispered, backing out of the partially open window and shutting it softly behind me. The sky was starting to brighten as the morning came, illuminating the empty street. I blew some of my hair from my eyes and sighed, lifting my face to meet the breeze as it blew past. Damn them and their Houdini act, then. I'd just have a me-day.

The breeze strengthened into a full-blown wind, carrying me along with it up and over the house into the air. I closed my eyes, enjoying the weightless feeling, and spread my arms out to the side like I was floating in a pool instead of in midair. My hair brushed my cheeks and shoulders in gentle caresses that made me snicker, and I opened my eyes to see where I was—

I let out a shriek, dropping a few feet at the sight of Trick being so close, hanging like a trick-rider from the side of his eerily-quiet horse. "Oh my god, what is the _matter_ with you people?!"

"Oh calm down," Trick laughed, righting himself on his mount. "I was just having a bit of fun."

"Jerk." I muttered, shoving my hair out of my face.

He smirked down at me. "You love it."

I shook my head at his antics. _As if_. "What're you doing here, anyway? I thought you and Pitch ditched me."

"Nah," he waved a hand dismissively. "I just had some business matters to attend to. He headed back to his lair ahead of us. Now, if my lady would care to join me…?" he asked with a wicked grin, patting the mare's back behind him.

I rolled my eyes at him but complied, looping my arms lightly around his midsection to steady myself before he took off. I let out a whoop; with how he handled the strange beast, it was like a roller-coaster. The rising sun glinted off of his brilliant orange locks, and I gripped him tighter as we shot towards what I recognized as one of Pitch's abyssal shadows. The darkness consumed us, and we emerged in the great cavernous space of Pitch's lair, right next to the globe statue. I hopped off of the horse before it came to a complete stop, smoothing out my skirts as I settled on the slightly uneven stone floor.

As soon as I was firmly on the ground, I felt fatigued, and I leaned against the illuminated metal structure for support as my eyes drifted shut, swaying a bit. Ugh, maybe I should've just gone back to North's place and crashed. Surely Pitch had a shadow that led there. I curled up inside of the globe, resting my forehead on my arms. Maybe I'd ask him…right after a nap….

**A/N: End chapter 8. Please review—they help me write updates faster ^_^**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Thank you to my marvelous new followers and favoriters, and multiple levels of gratitude to my reviewers; somekindofzombie, Stille Contrast, Forever-Dino, Huddybuddy, Starcrier, and one Guest. I love you guys. Please, read and enjoy.**

"_Wisp_,"

I shivered at the sound of my name, shifting a bit in my sleep to be more comfortable. The movement made my head bend at an awkward angle, and I scowled, letting out a disgruntled huff as I pushed at the resisting force. It was a cool surface that met my palm, scratchy and pitted beneath my fingertips as I tried to shove it aside, to no avail.

"_Wisp_," the voice whispered again in a singsong, rich as velvet. Something soft brushed against my forehead and across my cheekbone, trailing along my jaw in a whisper-soft caress. I cracked my eyes open a bit, peering through my lashes; Pitch's face was a manner of inches from mine, the edges of his face blurring into the surrounding shadows like I was looking at him through smoke. His yellow-gray eyes were the only sharp things in focus in the whole dreamy blur of his features. I started at the sight of him, sucking in a lungful of air in my sleepy shock. My heartbeat thudded in my ears, counting away the seconds that I sat staring at him, uncomprehending.

My movements were sluggish as I brought up a hand to rub some of the slumber from my eyes, smiling sheepishly, albeit uncertainly. "Oh, um, hey Pitch. How long have I been sleeping?" I slurred, yawning halfway through.

As I woke up more I could make out the upwards quirk to his lips. I felt the warmth creep up my neck and across my cheeks as his face lowered infinitesimally closer to mine, my heartbeat accelerating. My skin glowed a little brighter as my emotional levels rose—was my light a little _pink_ from the blood pooled in my cheeks?! No, surely I was just imagining it. His arms spread out to either side of the opening in the globe sculpture, boxing me inside.

I blinked at him, scooching backwards in the confined space until my back bumped against the jagged metal. "Whaaat are you doing?" I asked, a feeling of unease developing low in my stomach

His dusk-colored gaze settled on where I could feel my pulse flutter uneasily. "Careful, my dear, else someone might think you're frightened."

I let out a nervous, halting laugh. Normal Pitch I had some idea how to handle; weird Pitch encroaching on my airspace, I had no clue. I shook my long hair back from my face and gave him my best imperious expression, staring him down the length of my nose. "We've been over this before, Pitch; I'm not scared of you, and you know it."

"If that's so, then why does your heart look like it's about to burst free through your throat?" He murmured, one brow rising with his skepticism, his voice tinged with humor at my expense.

My mind took on a will of its own, recalling the last dream I'd had, when we'd been in much the same position as we were now. It brought upon itself the task of making me remember the feeling of his mouth as it slanted on mine with extreme clarity, making the warmth in my cheeks intensify, and my stomach twisted and flipped inside of me. I mentally berated myself when I realized I'd spent the last few seconds staring at his mouth, biting the inside of my cheek. _Damn, damn, damn_! I swallowed, taking a shaky breath. "I don't think I need to answer that."

His deep chuckle reverberated in the close space. He hummed low in his throat. "So I see. Very well, try and deny your fear. You're not fooling me; I know _everyone's_ fears, even yours."

I smirked, tilting my head a bit to the side. "Yes, we've had that conversation, too." His eyes flashed a bit at the bravado in my tone, and I felt my proud mask slip a bit as he leaned in further, making me lean into the unforgiving jagged gaps in the sculpture, though that didn't get me any farther from him. His nose was a bare few centimeters from mine. My heart stuttered a few beats at his proximity, our gazes locked in a challenge as his face closed in on mine. I felt the edge of an inconsequential continent dig into my palm like a knife as I clutched it, mentally cursing myself for squeezing my eyes shut when he was a hairsbreadth away.

His breath was like an autumn breeze as it flowed past my ear, carrying his laughter along with it. "You know what I think?" he whispered, his lips brushing the corner of my mouth as he spoke. I dug my fingers into the curving metal of the globe to try to get them to stop their trembling. One of his hands came up to lift my chin. "I think that you're a horrible liar, especially to yourself. You may not be afraid of me, personally, but I _know_ that your fear and I are closely linked. All I need to do now is figure out _how_." He chuckled, fitting his mouth to mine.

* * *

I bolted into an upright position, one hand clutching at my heart as it hammered against the confines of my ribcage, the icy area on my neck cool against my fingertips, my hair floating about me wildly in a wind born from my distress. My skin was bright in the gloom I was currently sitting in, my mind too confused to really register my surroundings. What… had I been dreaming that whole thing up?

I gave a quiet groan, exasperated. Another dream with Pitch in it. _Fan_tastic. Would this become a regular thing, me dreaming about him? I didn't know what disturbed me more; that I was now having consecutive dreams about the manifestation of fear itself, or that I was having consecutive dreams about the manifestation of fear itself in which he was acting like some enigmatic Don Juan. I shook my head, taking a few deep breaths to try to calm myself, the air stilling around me as I got my heart rate under control. First things first: where was I?

I was sitting on a chaise lounge in a room so dark that were it not for my bioluminescence, I wouldn't be able to see five inches in front of my nose, a thin blanket covering my legs. I looked down at my lap, taking the silken sheet that lay pooled around my waist in my hands, the material as light as mist and black as one of Pitch's shadows. I followed the liquid-like fall of it with my eyes to where it settled on the grooved stone floor, blending in with the darkness there. Beyond that and the vague shape of a large archway in the opposite wall, I couldn't tell anything from the room. I looked back to my palms, checking for any sign that the dream had actually been real, but they were uninjured.

_Which is a good thing,_ the little no-nonsense voice in the back of my mind told me as I swung my legs over the side of the seat, pleased to see that my boots were still on, _you don't need to go about kissing people who you met maybe five days ago._

_I'm essentially immortal now,_ I reminded it, flinging the sheet off to the side. It let out a slithering whisper as it fell to the floor, eliciting a shiver from me, which I ignored. _Time is irrelevant. _

The voice let out a derisive snort. _Oh, really? Not for Emmy, it's not. Or have you forgotten about her brief lifespan just as you have what day it is?_

_As if I would forget my own sister!_ I snapped, crossing to the shadowed archway. _Anyway, Emmy's fine._

_She wasn't yesterday, when she almost _died_ because, oh yeah, Pitch_ dropped _her to let her freefall through the air!_

_Trick would've caught her._

I imagined the little voice shaking its head at me._ These aren't the nice guys you're hanging out with, Wisp. These are guys who scare the shit out of kids just for kicks. _

_Nothing bad will happen to Emmy._ I swore, stopping with one hand braced on the cool stone of the archway, resting my forehead against its worn surface. _Not if I have anything to say about it._

_What about all the other kids in the world? _

I paused as I started to step from the room, closing my eyes briefly. _It'll just have to depend on what they deserve._

_Who are you to say whether or not a child needs protection or not?_

I allowed myself a small, grim smile. _I'm the Will-o'-the-Wisp; I can do as I please._

_That doesn't sound like something a Guardian would say._

_Good thing I'm not a Guardian, then._ I replied.

My conscience gave a lamenting sigh. _Yes, you are; you're just a different _kind_ of Guardian. You're just too stubborn to admit it._

I shoved the little voice into the back of my mind and emerged from the room, trying to pretend that little mental conversation hadn't just happened. Damn inner self, what did it know? I ran a hand along the wall as I went, following the misshapen corridor. I leapt over twisted staircases and oddly placed archways, trying to find something familiar, the birdcages' shapes above my head feeling almost akin to oppressive. I leapt up to grab hold of one of them, keeping a firm hold of the chain as I surveyed my surroundings. Spotting the illuminated globe sculpture below and to the right of me, I swung back and forth a bit before letting go, closing my eyes and falling headfirst towards the small courtyard with a laugh.

"Careful," a deep, lilting voice chuckled, "you might land on your head that way, and that wouldn't feel too pleasant, I'd imagine."

A smile tugged at my lips as I slowed my descent to nearly a halt, twisting so I landed on top of the globe, carefully perching on it so I wasn't sitting on any of the lights. I crossed my ankles, smirking down at him. "Hello, Trick."

He grinned up at me, revealing his pearly, straight set of shark-like teeth. A man who lived off a diet of sugar and sweets should not have glimmering chompers like that. It defied all logic (not that that applied in my new life very often anyhow. For crying out loud, my hair shimmered and floated and I became a burning star when provoked). "Good morning, sleeping beauty. Wonderful bed-head you've got going on. Have a good rest, pleasant dreams?"

I had no desire to answer that query. "Didn't dream. Guess I was too tired after saving my sister from a premature demise." I said pointedly.

He winced, downing a whole pack of Sour Patch Kids before choosing to reply. "You're not going to hold that against us forever, are you?"

I admired the fingertips of my right hand, which had ignited with tiny silver flames at the memory, and raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you think?"

"I think that forever's a long time to hold a grudge." He responded slowly, meeting my eyes with a look so serious it seemed extremely out of place on the Trickster's face. I was a little taken aback by it, actually. I mean, I'd been half-joking about it, at least.

"Goodness, the atmosphere is suddenly so _serious_." Pitch drifted out from the shadows to my left, making me start a bit, and I wrestled with the memory of my dream to try to keep it from coming completely back to me.

Trick shrugged, unwrapping his Cookies 'n Cream Hershey's bar slowly. "She's just cranky 'cause she woke up a little while ago." He chewed the chocolate bar once before swallowing it, the sugar giving him some of his old spirit back.

"Yep, and now I'm headed out." I said, hopping down to their level and straightening my skirts.

Pitch raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What for?"

"I made a promise to Emmy, and I intend to keep it." I said simply, backing away from the pair. "I'll be back later, or you can always hunt me down if it's important." Giving a little half-wave over my shoulder, I practically sprinted into an abyssal shadow in the corner between two archways.

I heaved a small sigh of relief once the darkness around me gave way to the familiar sight of my old house, the sunset painting it with vivid lavender and vermillion as I approached the walkway. I smiled at the jack-o'-lantern sitting on the porch railing; Jenna was as excited for Halloween as ever, I supposed. I did a quick leap up onto the roof of the porch, peering in to see Emmy laying on her stomach in bed, reading a book. Good, she was still in her dayclothes—pajamas would've been too cold for where we were headed. I rapped my knuckles on her window, smiling at the enormous grin that lit her face when she saw me. She threw the book to the side in her haste to get to the window, fumbling at the latches and throwing it open wide for me, looking like she was about to explode with excitement.

"Whoa!" I laughed when she launched herself at me, her thin arms wrapping like a vice around my waist, and squeezed her back, straightening out her bangs. "Hey there, kiddo."

"Myra, you're back!" she squealed, burying her face in my torso. "What's the surprise, Myra?! You said if I was good, then you'd have a surprise! Is it a present? I've really been very good, in school and at home! I've gotten all my schoolwork done and did my chores and eaten all my vegetables, even the peas!"

I clapped a hand over her mouth when she paused long enough to take a breath before she could continue, casting a furtive glance towards the door. "If I told you what it was, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" I said drily, grabbing her jacket from where it hung off the back of her desk chair. "Put this on; you're going to want it."

That was the fastest I'd ever seen her put on her jacket. I pulled the hood up over her ponytail, tying the drawstrings in a little bow under her chin to keep it from falling back down and zipping the jacket up to her throat. I smiled at the energy that poured off of her in waves.

"Myra, why can't you tell me where we're _going_?" Emmy huffed impatiently, shifting from one foot to another.

I rolled my eyes. "I _can_, I just _won't_. There's a difference. Have you had dinner yet?" Knowing North, he'd probably offer her cookies and other baked goods that would ruin her appetite.

She nodded, scowling. "Yeah, why? Are we going out to go get ice cream?"

_There is indeed plenty of ice where we're going._ I though with a snicker and patted her on the back. "Nope."

"You'd tell me no even if we _were_!" She pouted, stomping her booted foot.

I lost the battle with my mischievous grin, feeling it stretch across my mouth. "Too true."

"My_ra_!"

I hushed her at the sound of hooves pounding the pavement outside, watching her eyes widen with wonder. She shoved me aside in a rush to the window, clambering out onto the roof. I climbed out behind her, barely managing to wind an arm around her waist before she reached the roof's edge. Honestly, she probably didn't even notice; she was too busy staring in awe at the large Russian man in the notorious gleaming red sleigh currently parked in our front yard.

"Myra," Emmy whispered, eyes wide as the Man in the Moon, "is that who I think it is?"

I hummed in the back of my throat, helping her down to the ground. "Depends on who you think it is." I said coyly, grinning at North as he turned to face us from where he'd been fussing with the reins.

Emmy mustered up the courage to address the big man as we approached him, clenching my fingers in her small fist. "Santa Claus?"

North let out a rumble of laughter, crouching down to be at her level. "Hello, Emmy. You are Wispy's little sister, yes?"

I hadn't thought Emmy's eyes get any bigger. I was wrong. "He's got a Russian accent." She whispered.

"Yep." I said, smiling.

"And _swords_!" she pointed at the blades in their sheaths where they shone in the street lights and my light. "Nothing says Santa carries around _swords_!"

I tried not to laugh. "He does."

She looked from him to me and back. "Is this the surprise?" she whispered.

North gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "This is just tip of iceberg, Emmy. Tell me," his face became deathly serious, "would you like to ride the sleigh?"

I gave her a little nudge in his direction when it seemed like she'd gone catatonic from the shock of the offer, her hand dropping from mine and her mouth flopping open like a fish's. "Yes," she squeaked. This elicited another mighty laugh from him; he straightened to his full height, picking her up in the motion and settling her on one of the benches.

I nimbly leapt over the side and into the sleigh. "Take it a little easier on her, please? She's got a weak stomach." I smiled at his nod, settling into the seat beside her as North cracked the reins, sending us shooting into the darkening sky. Emmy whooped and shrieked with delight, clinging to my arm as the cold air stung our cheeks and noses. A small gasp escaped her lips when North activated his snow globe, and she fell silent upon seeing the entirety of North's workshop sprawled out below us, the warm lights from the windows reflecting in her eyes like a hundred tiny suns.

I placed my lips at her ear so she could hear me over the rushing air as we descended towards the hangar. "Welcome to Santa's Workshop."

* * *

North shut the door to his office behind him as I situated myself on my usual stool, swinging my legs happily beneath me. Even in here, over North's loud Russian orchestra music, I could hear Emmy terrorizing the yetis with her unending questions, could recognize the rapid tread of her footsteps as she pursued the dessert-laden elves with a ferocity that could only be matched by a tigress. Yes, I loved my little sister, but she could definitely be a terror when she wanted to be.

North sat down on his stool facing me, expression unreadable. "So, I see you got your sister to believe in you again." He started after I'd accepted a cinnamon roll from the offered platter of baked goods. He nodded sagely to himself. "This is good. My only question, Wispy, is how?"

I took a moment to chew my bite of gooey cinnamon goodness thoroughly, swallowing slowly. "I had help," I admitted, not looking at him.

He raised one dark, bushy brow at me, crossing his formidable, tattooed arms over his large chest. "From Pitch?"

Ugh, just the _mention_ of the Boogeyman brought back unneeded memories. "And Trick, yes."

His eyebrows shadowed his eyes for a moment as he scowled. "Pitch _and_ Trick, working _together_? Are you sure, Wispy?"

I frowned. "Yeah, why? Does that not happen often?"

North shook his head. "They had an 'out of falling' when Pitch tried to take over Halloween, saying it was a night for fear."

'_Out of falling'? Oh! Falling out; got it_. "I see," I murmured, taking a sip of eggnog and listening to Emmy ask a yeti if it was a girl or boy, and how did it know?

"This could be trouble," North muttered slowly, stroking his beard while he thought.

I placed a hand consolingly on his massive shoulder. "I'm sure it's fine, North. Honestly. Besides, isn't it a good thing if you all get along?"

He scratched the back of his neck, uncertain. "Perhaps; I am not so sure. But!" he exclaimed, slapping his knees, the mischievous gleam back in his eyes. "I am sure if they try to get out of line, you will show them, yes?"

I grinned back, "I'll do my best."

**A/N: Please review ~ ^_^**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: The tenth chapter is here! Wow, I can't believe it's come so far so soon. It really feels like I started this just yesterday. Anyway, enough sentimentality for now. Thank you to my phenomenal favoriters/followers, and thaaaank yoooou to my reviewers : OhMeOhMy, LuluCalliope, Starcrier, darthcat, JammieSkies, AuntieGrr (who is, in fact, my aunt), and Eileen Halpin. You all are absolutely fantastic.**

**A/N 2: I just wanted to take a quick second to thank JammieSkies for the biggest and question-filled review I have ever seen, and briefly address a few of them.**

** JammieSkies: Why does Wisp have a superiority feeling?**

** She doesn't. She was mainly just taunting Pitch because he was all, "I'm the Boogeyman!" And if she comes across as having one, I would chalk that up to being a big sister for eleven years.**

** JammieSkies: Why does she use her name like a title?**

** She isn't; she's just stating that she is Will-O'-The-Wisp. It's her name.**

** JammieSkies: Is the voice in Myra's head just her talking to herself?**

** Yes. ^_^**

**P.S. Love the Doctor Who reference, and thank you for the well-wishing on my EOCs.**

**Also**

** In response to Eileen Halpin: Thank you very much! I really hope you're right! **

**In response to Starcrier: I, too, feel Pitch and Myra could be a 'thing', but only time will tell ;) This is mostly due to the fact that I love keeping you all in suspense because I'm wicked like that.**

**If anyone else has any questions or comments, I'll be happy to address them ^_^. I'm so glad you guys seem to love the story so far, especially the fact that you all seem to be getting attached to my OCs. Thank you for your support so far. Please, read and enjoy.**

"I know you will." North smiled, taking a long drink of eggnog from the goblet on the table next to him. He set it back down once it was empty, narrowing his eyes at the area just under my left ear. "What is wrong with your neck, Wispy?"

"Oh, this?" I reached up to graze the frosted area of my neck with my fingertips. I'd almost forgotten about it. "I don't know." North motioned for me to wheel my stool closer, and I pulled my hair over my opposite shoulder so that he could get a better look at my neck, tilting my head to the side.

He eyed my neck's abnormality a bit, thoughtful, chuckling to himself. "It is helpful that you glow."

"I guess." I smirked as he reached blindly towards his closest worktable, patting around the tools there until he found what he was looking for; a tiny golden pick and chisel. "Do you really think that'll take it off?"

He shrugged. "Is worth a try. May I?" I nodded, and he proceeded to chip away at the ice. I winced when he tried to slide the chisel between the frost and my skin. He tugged and picked for what felt like hours. I didn't know what he expected; I lit up like a bonfire and the ice never melted or anything. After a time he sat back on his stool, rubbing the back of his neck. "Interesting. I have made it smaller, but I could not get it all off."

"That's alright. Thank you for trying." I said with a grateful smile.

He waved one massive hand dismissively. "Is no problem, Wispy. I am happy to help." He stretched his arms over his head in a stretch. "Now I must be getting back to work. Christmas is coming soon."

"Okay." I hopped down from my stool, giving him a little wave over my shoulder as I headed towards the door. "Thanks again!"

Emmy pounced on me when I emerged from North's office, an elf gripped by the hat in one of her vice-tight fists. Her eyes were wild with excitement, her expression absolutely giddy, and she practically vibrated with energy as she hopped up and down on her toes, causing the bell on the terrified elf's hat to ring repeatedly. "Myra Myra Myra Myra Myra Myra Myra—!"

"Emmy Emmy Emmy Emmy!" I laughed back, holding her by her shoulders as she bounced. "What is it, kiddo? Are you having fun?"

"Ohmigosh, Myra!" Emmy took a deep breath before regaling me with her adventures. "This place is AMAZING! I saw the reindeer's stables! There are elves all over the place, and they just wander around with these big platters of cakes and stuff and get tangled up in the ribbons and the lights, and the yetis are HUGE! One of them gave me a piggyback ride!" she squealed, giving the captured elf another violent shake. I wondered how many of those cakes she had taken it upon herself to sample. "I think it's funny, 'cause I always thought there was only _one_ yeti, like on Expedition Everest at Disney World, but there's like a _hundred_ of 'em! And they're all _here_!" she waved her arms around to include the entirety of the bustling workshop.

I eyed the green-looking elf warily. "Emmy sweetie, that elf isn't looking so good. Why don't you set him down for a bit?"

She looked down in surprise at the queasy creature as if she'd forgotten she'd been holding it this entire time, letting fall with a _jingle-thud_ to the floor. Her sheepish grin was absolutely adorable. "Sorry, Mr. Elf." She turned back to me as it quickly, albeit drunkenly, scurried away. "So what next?"

"What do you mean, 'what next'?" I asked with a frown, tightening her ponytail with a quick tug.

"Are we gonna go see the Tooth Fairy? The Easter Bunny?" she offered, looking excited again.

I smiled at her, flipping her hood up onto her head. "Aren't you tired?"

She shook her head furiously, the hood falling back against her shoulder blades. "No, I'm not! Please, Myra, can we go see other things?"

"No, I think I should take you home now. You need your sleep and—,"

She opened her gray eyes wide, lower lip jutting out. "Oh, _please_, can we stay? Just a little while longer? _Pleeeeeease_?"

I opened my mouth to tell her that we could not, mostly because a) I didn't know how to find the others and b) I _did_ know for a fact that by the time we got her home, it would be long since past her bedtime. Before I could speak, though, a pale-haired figure in blue breezed in through Manny's window to alight on the nearby railing, an entourage of snowflakes close behind him.

He smiled, staff slung across his shoulders. "Hey Wisp. Who's the kid?"

"Myra, who's that?" Emmy asked quietly, one hand holding my wrist and the other blatantly pointing at Jack.

"Stop pointing, kiddo; it's rude." I admonished lightly. "Jack Frost, meet my little sister Emmy. Emmy, that's Jack Frost."

She eyed him critically. "You don't actually _bite_ people's noses, right?"

He scowled a bit, hopping down from the rail. "What kind of question is that?"

I smoothed the bangs from her eyes and gave Jack an apologetic smile. "I gave her my thesaurus to read one time because she was bored. 'Bite' is a synonym of the word 'nip'. She thinks you run around biting people on the nose."

"Oh, jeez." He chuckled, shaking his head. Jack crouched down so he was at Emmy's level, resting his head against his staff. "I don't _literally_ nip at people's noses. I give kids like you snow days. "

Her gaze went from analytical to adoring in an instant. "I _love_ snow days!"

"Good to know my work is appreciated." He laughed, straitening to his full height. "How'd you convince North to bring her here?" he asked me, curious.

I shrugged, "I just asked nicely."

Emmy pinched his sleeve to get his attention. "Myra thinks I should go home and go to bed." She whispered in a repulsed, conspiratorial voice.

_You little brat_! I thought lovingly, keeping my tongue safely in my cheek for a moment. "It's past your bedtime and you know it." I retorted, hands placed on my hips.

"But I'm _not_ _tired_!" she groaned, seeming to just barely suppress the urge to stop her foot in indignation.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Your attitude says otherwise."

North came stomping out of his office. "What is all the commotion? Oh, hello Jack!"

"North," Jack inclined his head, smiling.

Before I could open my mouth to respond, Emmy threw herself at North, big crocodile tears rolling down her cheeks, still flushed with excitement. "_Santa_," she cried woefully, "tell Myra I'm not tired so I don't have to go!"

"Oh, Emmy, stop it." I sighed, rubbing my temple. I hated when she got this tired; she turned into a little _beast_.

North bent down to scoop Emmy up in his immense arms as she sniffled, his thumbs wiping away her tired tears. "Of course you aren't tired, poor little one." He sympathized, though from the smile on his bearded face I could see he was just humoring her. "But perhaps you are just a little tired, yes?"

Emmy looked down at her hands where she was running her tiny fingers along his tattooed forearm. "I guess,… sorta." She mumbled, eyelids drooping as the thrill wore out. Her little jaw clenched, nostrils flaring, as she fought to hold back a yawn.

He tapped her under the chin to get her to meet his gaze. "I tell you what; you be good girl and go home with Wispy, and I will take you to see Toothy soon, yeah?"

Her face lit back up. "Promise?!"

North rumbled with laughter as Emmy threw her arms around his neck in a fierce, tight hug. "I promise. But you must keep up your end of the deal."

"I will!" She pulled back enough to look him in the face. "Thank you very much!"

"You are welcome." He grinned, setting her down. "Now, go on with Wispy, and say hello to Sandy for me if you see him."

At this point I'm pretty sure Emmy would've promised him her firstborn child if she'd had to. She settled for nodding emphatically and squeezing my fingers so hard that the light in my fingertips died down to almost nothing. Chuckling, North pulled a large snow globe from his cummerbund; he murmured low to it, shook it up, and pitched it at the floor a few feet away from us. Inside the glimmering vortex, an image of my old house appeared, lights out and peaceful.

Hand in hand, Emmy skipping at my side, we went into the portal. As soon as we stepped through the other side, a _whoosh_ sound signaled the closing of the portal behind us, and Emmy's vibrancy diminished significantly as she used my arm to stay on her feet.

I raised an eyebrow at her slumped form. "I thought you said you weren't tired?"

She mumbled something unintelligible, swaying a bit with both of her hands clasped around one of mine. I gave a soft snicker before picking her up by her underarms, holding her to my torso and leaping into the air. I let the breeze carry the both of us up onto the roof, depositing us right in front of her cracked window. I used the toe of my boot to lift the window up enough to duck through and helped her drowsily change into her pajamas. She stumbled into bed and I tucked her in, putting Aria in her searching, grasping fingers for her to snuggle. She gave a contented little sigh and curled up on her side, corners of her lips turning up just the slightest.

"Goodnight kiddo." I whispered, kissing her forehead, before gliding out the window, closing the window behind me.

Standing on the rooftop, I lifted my face to the late night air, letting the wind flow over my cheeks and through my hair. I closed my eyes, loving how quiet the world was, feeling the breeze bleed across my shoulders and between my fingers like water. If I listened hard enough, I could've sworn I could hear the river in the ravine. Not that I really cared for that river, bad memory and all that.

I opened my eyes slowly, taking in the deepest moments of the night. I probably shouldn't have let Emmy stay up that late. Did she have school later today? I hoped not.

I scowled, thinking further on that. What day _was_ it, anyway? After a few minutes of deep consideration and ticking off days on my fingers, I decided that it had to be late Thursday/ early Friday. Which put Halloween in about three days. With Halloween coming up so soon, how did Trick have enough time to just chill out with Pitch?

_You probably interrupted his preparations the night you met him._ I thought.

The glaring lights of the high school's stadium caught my attention; didn't they ever turn those off? They would save a fortune on electric bills if they did. I looked off to the left, where the main hub of the town lit up the sky. I could see the library, where I used to hang out with my friends, with its Grecian columns. Next to it was an antique and thrift shop, adjacent to which was a Starbuck's. I never had liked their coffee; it was too bitter for me, too strong. Then there was a stroll garden and park. A couple blocks over in the square with the fountain were the theaters and my favorite ice cream parlor. When was the last time I'd gone there?

Too long, I decided. This girl needed a raspberry-brownie concrete.

I jumped up into the passing wind and rode it into town. It wasn't until I touched down at the closed storefront of the ice cream parlor that I realized that I had three problems. Firstly, I couldn't get a concrete because I had no money. Secondly, no one could see me. And thirdly, perhaps least importantly, the shop was closed. I let out a laugh at my own expense. I couldn't believe I'd thought I could just waltz into the shop, like I was still human, and order my favorite treat.

So much for that plan.

Across the square, a small band had assembled and was currently running through a few hits by Frank Sinatra, a handful of couples slow-dancing to the rhythm. I'd loved Frank Sinatra when I was Myra, and apparently that fondness hadn't been lost when I'd taken my little dive into the river. I smiled wistfully, hugging myself against the sudden chill, and took a seat on the edge of the fountain, watching the people dance. I let my eyes drift closed and swayed in time to the music, humming along.

_Night and day,  
you are the one  
Only you, 'neath the moon  
Or under the sun  
Whether near to me or far,  
No matter, darling, where you are  
I think of you  
Night and day  
Day and night  
Why is it so?  
That this longing for you  
Follows wherever I go?  
In the roaring traffic's boom,  
In the silence of my lonely room  
I think of you  
Night and day  
Night and day  
There's an oh, such a hungry  
Yearning, burning  
Inside of me—_

"May I have this dance?"

I jumped at the question, startled out of my blissful daze, and it took me a moment to come fully back to myself. It took me even longer still to recognize that it was Pitch who stood in front of me, had asked me the question, and who was still patiently, bemusedly waiting with his hand offered. I blinked slowly up at him, confused. "…yes?"

Cautiously, as if it were a feral animal that would bite me, I placed my hand in his, letting him tug me up from my seat. I put a hand on his shoulder, his coat whisper-soft as a midnight breeze under my palm, his free hand settling on my waist, pulling me closer, as the band started up a new song. A vague part in the back of my mind recognized it as Mr. Sinatra's "Last Dance".

_Oh, god, did I fall asleep on the fountain? Is this yet _another_ friggin' dream about Pitch?!_ I thought as we began to sway in time to the music, slowly turning in place. I stared fixatedly at the hollow between his collar bones, directly at my eye level, biting the inside of my cheek. This all felt so real, but the other dreams had felt real, too.

"What's got you so distracted, Wisp?" Pitch asked, once again snapping me back into the now. "Didn't your day with your sister go well?"

"Oh, yeah. She had a blast." I flicked a glance up at his yellow-gray eyes. "I'm fine, really. Thank you for asking."

He took that in, seeming thoughtful. After a moment he asked, "Is it the music?"

I let out a little laugh, shaking my head. "No, it's not the music. I really like Frank Sinatra, actually." I raised my gaze a little higher, so I was now staring at his jaw.

He hummed low in the back of his throat in acknowledgement. The song ended, and I started to pull away, but the song started up again. Pitch noticed my puzzled expression. "It would seem their playlist has been a bit mucked up."

_That's silly,_ I thought dazedly, _it can't be the last dance if there's another last dance after it._

One of the band members—a bass guitarist—set down his instrument and picked up the microphone. Apparently the band had decided if they were going to play the same song twice, they were going to add vocals to it. _Please don't butcher this song_. I silently begged. As he started up, though, I was shocked to find that the grungy-looking man actually sounded pretty good.

—_ndering  
Just when will we leave,  
But 'til we leave,  
Keep holding me tight  
Through the last dance,  
Each beat of the last dance,  
And save me the first dance  
In your dreams tonight._

I felt the warmth pool in my cheeks and the tips of my ears as the lyrics finally came out and whacked me upside the head. Oh my god, did he _know_ that I'd been dreaming about him?!

I would die. I would die, right then and there, if he did. My bioluminescence flickered and flared with my inner turmoil. Pitch chuckled, the rich sound vibrating through him. "Is that _fear_ I sense, Wisp?"

My head snapped up, neck craning back so I could look him in his dusk-colored gaze. "Honestly, Pitch, how many times do we need to have this banter? I'll say no, you'll say you know that I'm not—,"

"Because I _do_ know." He said with an almost doting smile.

I mentally batted at the infernal little fear-fingers that tried to dig into my skin, annoyed. "You say that so often. If you do know, then say it: what am I scared of?" I challenged, shaking my hair back over my shoulders.

My heartbeat quickened as he leaned in close so that our faces were inches apart. "You're scared of falling." He said each syllable slowly, deliberately, enunciating perfectly.

"Well, that only makes sense. That _is_ how I died." I quipped.

His yellow-gray eyes bore into mine, and the fear he carried tried harder to clench around my heart. "There's more than one way to fall."

I swallowed hard, breathing accelerating, and snapped at him defensively, "Would you stop doing that stupid fear thing on me? It's annoying."

He cocked his head to the side, eyes wide with innocence. "I'm not doing anything, Wisp."

"I'm serious!"

"So am I." he retorted.

I felt my expression sober as I felt a strange calm settle over me. "If you don't stop, I might have to do something drastic." The fear burrowed its way into me, shattering the calm as fast as it had settled.

Pitch's laugh was dulcet on the surrounding night air. "I must admit, I'd like to see that."

The fear shot through my veins straight to my heart, and _squeezed_. My body took on a mind of its own, releasing Pitch's hand and shoulder in favor of his neck. I rose up on tiptoes and, before either of us could realize what was happening, kissed him full on the mouth.

We both broke away after a moment, equally stunned. I mustered up all the bravado I could grasp at, snatching at it before it could scatter off to where my sense had gone. "I warned you." I breathed.

**A/N: TAAAA-DAAAH! There's the tenth chapter! Please, review~!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Chapter 11 is here! A thousand pardons! Yes, I am still alive; this update is simply, unabashedly late. *Ducks to avoid Starcrier's fish, lunch meat and lava lamp* I know, I know—I left you all in a horrible position (not to mention the awful cliffhanger). I was busy with birthdays and now I have to take finals (because EOCs are apparently **_**not**_** the end of the course, as the name would have a student believe). So… yeah...**

**A/N2: Thank you to my fantastic new favoriters/followers, and sweeping bows of gratitude to my reviewers; Stille Contrast, SkywardWriter, paigeafterpaige, darthcat, Starcrier, and OhMeOhMy. You all have admirably insane levels of patience! Please, read and enjoy, and don't forget to leave me a review! ^_^**

We both stood still, the wind softly brushing my face as the world around us continued on with us frozen in place. My hands were loose around his neck, fingertips barely clinging to the collar of his coat, and I swallowed hard, chest rising and falling erratically like my heartbeat. Were it not for my knees being locked I'd probably have crumpled to the hard brick floor.

Pitch blinked slowly at me, his smile from earlier lingering around the corners of his mouth. "That was…most unexpected." I could feel his hands shift a bit where they had settled around my waist.

My face was warm; my ribcage tightened around my lungs as I tried to breathe. I opened and closed my mouth uselessly, trying for words that weren't there. "I…."

One of his hands came up to gently close my mouth, my teeth making a light clicking sound as they came together, his fingers cupping my chin. His lips quirked in a crooked grin. "I can't say that I thought you had the nerve. I'll have to remember to take you seriously from now on, won't I?"

I felt my blush deepen, looking away from his intense yellow-gray eyes with a frown. Now he was just teasing.

He used his hold on my chin to force me to meet his gaze. When he was satisfied that I wouldn't look away again, he moved to take one of my limp hands from his neck, holding it tightly in his. He pulled me close against him as the band started up again, this time with a more energetic tune that I was too unfocused to put a name to, moving along to the rhythm. "Don't look at me like that, Wisp." He sighed, the breeze echoing the sentiment.

"Like what?" I rasped, finding my voice.

His eyes were half-lidded as he glanced down at me, leaning in close. "Like I'm the bad guy." He murmured, breath stirring my hair by my ear and making me shiver.

Had I been looking at him like that? Who knew? I met his gaze evenly, willing the blood to leave my cheeks as my light played over his features. "Aren't you?"

He hummed low in the back of his throat, releasing me for a twirl before pulling me back against his chest. Bringing our joined hands to his mouth, he brushed his lips across my knuckles, letting out a rich laugh as he felt my heart try to break the sound barrier. I bit down on my cheek in embarrassment, looking off towards the other couples dancing, unaware of our existence.

"Oh, you are just _too_ fun!" Pitch sighed contentedly, fingers clenching around mine and burying into my hip when I moved as if to break free of his hold.

I shot him a glare from the corner of my eye, noticing the tiny flames that licked along my fingers and singed his coat. Pitch's eyebrows furrowed as he stared down at our hands, the fire darkening his hand where it made contact with mine.

"That kind of hurts." He muttered, surprised, the barest hint of annoyance coloring his voice.

I couldn't entirely hide the smile that tugged at my mouth, mildly pleased with my uncontrolled temper. "Maybe you should let go, then." I said, lifting my chin to stare him full in the face in a challenge.

The smile slipped into an almost malicious smirk. His eyes flashed at my tone, narrowing, and his fingers closed more firmly over mine, smothering the small flames as they began to spread to his coat, and led me in a tight turn that made my hair snap behind me like a banner in the wind. His hand released mine to bury itself in the hair at the base of my neck, tilting my head back. My heart hammered against the vice-tight confines of my chest in protest as the barest tendrils of his fear wrapped around it, squeezing it mercilessly. His head bent so that our brows touched, his eyes drifting closed as he breathed me in.

"_Your fear is divine." _He murmured as we slowed to a stop. I closed my eyes in a silent denial, feeling the heat return with a vengeance from my throat to the roots of my hair. Worst fear: confirmed.

_Please, _I prayed to anyone and everyone who would listen, _kill me now. I'm already dying of embarrassment, but if you could speed up the process, it would be much appreciated._

I gulped in a breath, realizing I had stopped breathing momentarily. Obviously, suffocation wouldn't do anything for me. My throat was desert dry. "You know, then."

"About what?" I felt his nose brush along my cheekbone in a mock caress.

My hands were weak as I attempted to shove at his chest, achieving nothing. "You know full well what I'm talking about."

He chuckled deeply in my ear, and a little bit more of his fear latched onto me as his lips brushed the area just below it. "Do I? Perhaps it would be helpful if you just came out with it."

I gave something between an exasperated sigh and agitated growl, my eye snapping open to glare at the starry sky high, high above me. I wished I'd never decided to come here. Then I wouldn't be having this whole damn _encounter_! "The _dreams_, Pitch."

"What dreams?" I could feel as well as hear his infuriating smile. He was having fun with this. "I want to hear you say it."

"Damn it, Pitch!" I writhed, giving an escape another go, and failing yet again.

He pulled back so that our gazes could meet, his amused, mine wrathful. "Just _say_ it, Wisp." He laughed, whirling us around dizzyingly.

I twisted and yanked at my hands until I was released mid-spin, the world around me spinning, disorienting me. "The dreams I had about _you_!" I spat, my scalp burning where I had ripped my hair free from his grasp, long locks straggling in my eyes, and staggered back several steps. "You know about the dreams I had about you."

He smirked, letting one shoulder rise and fall elegantly in a shrug before clasping his hands together behind his back. "Yes, naturally. Actually, I'll let you in on a little secret," he chuckled, melting into the shadow of the fountain. I whirled around in a tight circle, assessing the surrounding gloom with my hands curled in tight, blazing fists. "I was in complete control of myself for at least a while during all of them. The rest was all _you_." He whispered conspiratorially in my ear from where he reappeared behind and to my left, disappearing again when I moved to deck him.

I felt the rage and embarrassment shift and spin inside of me until it formed a hurricane inside of me that threatened to rip me apart, and fought to hold in an animalistic scream of pure frustration. I wanted to self-destruct; I wanted to throw the tantrum of a century; I wanted to hurl Pitch off a cliff for intruding upon the privacy of my sleeping unconscious. "I can't _believe_ you! What kind of sick individual _does_ that?!" I snarled, twisting my fingers into my hair, digging my fingernails into my scalp.

I relinquished my hold on my hair, my hands sliding down instead to cover my face as I felt my wrath shrivel under the overwhelming force of my mortification, scalding hot tears welling up behind fiercely-closed lids. I dug the heels of my hands into my eyes, feeling the tears burn their way down my cheeks as they escaped. Not sticking around to hear him out or have him make fun of me, I leapt up into the air's cradling embrace and took off blindly into the night.

A tiny voice in me whispered tauntingly, _Coward_.

* * *

I swung my legs lightly in the air from where I sat on top of the guardrail over the ravine, staring down at the river as it rushed far below me, glimmering faintly in the timid rays of the beginning dawn. My boots clicked and clanged against the metal rail's supports, the sound almost inaudibly echoing around me. I was beginning to wonder if this would just be the place I would always wander to when I was in distress, like a homing beacon.

_But if it's a homing beacon, shouldn't it take me back to Emmy?_ I thought mildly, watching the river's water whirl and wind through rocks and carve its way through the ravine, inhaling deeply the scent of the pine trees. My fingers clenched around the rail on either side of me as I leaned into the wind, teasing myself with a tiny adrenaline rush, and sighed. I couldn't do it; I couldn't let myself fall again.

Lips pursed in disappointment, I swung my legs back over the rail and hopped down onto the sidewalk, the heels of my boots clicking softly on the cracked concrete. I walked along the familiar path to the end of the bridge, into the forest, tracing the frantic pathway Jenna and I had taken that night to find Emmy, what seemed like a million years ago. It felt strange to actually have to _step_ _over_ scraggly underbrush and roots. For the past week I'd just been flying everywhere. My legs wobbled here and there, but I was proud that I didn't ever fall, though I did occasionally trip. It was a humbling feeling, the weakness in my knees and ankles; it reminded me I was human, too, once. Not that long ago, really.

I stopped when I came to the place we'd found Emmy, running my fingers over the time- and weather-worn bark of the felled tree, feeling it scratch my fingertips. I lowered myself to the forest floor beside it, where Emmy had laid, and stretched out among the fallen pine needles, twigs and moss, curling one arm under my head as a pillow. I smiled, remembering how proud she'd been of herself, hiding in her worst fear. I'd been proud, too, overwhelmingly so. She was so brave now, though I supposed her original fear had just shifted. She was probably afraid of falling now, after watching me…yeah. That.

It was weird to think about. I was dead, but I wasn't. Myra had most definitely died. Maybe I should ask Emmy to stop calling me Myra… no, that would just confuse her, or make her sad, and I had always hated to see Emmy sad. And if I wasn't at least partially Myra, I wouldn't have any claim to her (or Jenna) anymore. I _had_ to be at least partly Myra to care about her this much. I rubbed my temples strongly with a groan, fighting a migraine, and shoved the entire thought process to the back of my mind to be further developed on some distant day. Or never. I could do never.

I watched as the first of the sun's rays penetrated through the forest, slowly, quietly, until the grove around me was filled with a soft light, birds beginning their morning calls. They chirped loudly to be heard over the boisterous rush of the river. I let my fingers of my free hand trail through the mess of the forest floor languidly, allowing my eyes to slowly drift closed. Sleep filled my limbs, making me still.

"Tell me, Fair Maid of Ireland: do you usually take a snooze in the middle of nowhere?" A humor-filled voice questioned from directly above my head.

I rolled onto my back, letting my hair drag over the moss and dirt as I did so, and cracked one eye open to stare at Trick where he perched on the log, looming over me with a large, sharp-toothed grin. I raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm not 'fair', and we're not in Ireland." I said, voice thick with slumber.

He let out an amused snort and rolled his burning eyes, popping a caramel chew into his mouth, the wrapper fluttering down to land on my shoulder. "'Tis but a name, lass." His lantern jangled at his hip as he plopped down onto the ground beside me. He swatted at my calf, "And _besides_ that, don't be daft. You're a might fairer than many a sight I've seen in this past century."

"Flatterer." I chuckled, rising to a sitting position, pine needles raining down onto the ground from where they came loose from my hair.

He winked at me, grinning. "And don't you go forgetting it."

I picked up his wrapper where it had fallen, turning it over and over between my fingertips. "What'd you come all the way out here for, Trick?"

His eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean, Wisp? Is there somewhere else I should be that I don't know?"

"It's almost Halloween," I said, meeting his gaze, "shouldn't you be busy getting everything ready?"

Trick burst with laughter, the sound of it ringing out through the surrounding wood. "You're worried about my _schedule_? Oh, darlin', Halloween doesn't need much help from my end 'til the day _of_. Or would that be the night of? Anyhow, most of it I can leave up to the mortals to take care of themselves."

"I see,"

"Besides that," he added, "working's not too terribly fun, if you ask me. I'd prefer to spend my time whiling away the hours talking to pretty things— like you."

I shook my head, holding in an insipid giggle. "Okay, Jock Stewart."

"'So be easy and free when you're drinking with me, I'm a man you don't meet every day!'" he sang raucously, making me laugh. He grinned at the sound, squeezing my shoulder. "Ah, that's better!"

I shoved his arm lightly, still chortling a bit, and leaned my back against the log. "Ugh, you're too fun, you know that?"

"No such thing, though I'm pleased that you think so." He said with a contented smile.

"You're also a horrible litterer." I said, fluttering the cellophane wrapper in his face.

He held a hand to his heart as though wounded. "Am not! Don't know where you found _that_."

I raised an eyebrow at him and waited until he finally admitted that he did, in fact, recognize the wrapper. "Seriously, how hard could it be for you to, I don't know, burn it in your lantern or something?"

His expression took on a look of being appalled. "Whyever would I do such a thing to my beautiful lantern?" He gasped, cradling said belonging to his chest like it was a baby.

"It won't hurt it, you dork." I chuckled, tugging it from him. "Watch."

Reluctantly, he let go of it, hovering almost on top of me as he watched me twist the Treat-side latch open, lifting the small door open and feeling sparks from the crimson and gold flames kiss my fingers as I smoothly inserted the wrapper into the heart of the fire. Flames licked adoringly at my palm and wrist, my eyebrows rising at how deep the lantern was.

When I pulled my hand free, I was surprised to see that some of his flames had clung to my skin in glittering red-gold swirls where the fire had touched it. Even when the flames died, the marks remained. I turned halfway to Trick, twisting my hand this way and that. "Do your hands look like this, too?"

Trick closed the little engraved door, locking it, before carefully removing both of his gloves, holding out his hands for me to inspect. The right hand was almost entirely covered in red and gold knot work, disappearing well up into his sleeves, the left the same thing in sapphire and emerald. When I moved to push his sleeves up, he brushed away my hands, shrugging out of his stitched and fitted tailcoat to reveal his well-defined arms, bared by the leather, velvet and silk patchwork vest he wore underneath. My fingers had a will of their own as they traced the crimson and gold colored markings, marveling at how they twisted to form wyverns and dragons here and how in other areas it matched the engraving on his lantern, the ecstatic children glittering warmly in the sunlight. It was much the same on the other arm, but the children's faces were contorted unhappily as they silently wailed and screamed. It was actually pretty damn terrifying. Eyeing how the markings disappeared beneath the vest, I was guessing they covered his chest as well.

His lips quirked up in a flirty smile. "Would you like me to take off my vest, too?"

I felt the flush creep up my throat to my cheeks as I quickly shook my head. "That won't be necessary!" I said, waving my hands agitatedly.

He shrugged. "If you say so." Chuckling, he pulled his coat back on, doing up the sterling bat-shaped buttons.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, waiting patiently for him to be done putting his gloves back on. "How long have you had all of those markings?" I asked after a few hesitant attempts, breaking the quiet that had began to settle between us.

"Forever." He stated simply, turning his prized lantern over and over in his hands, admiring how the light caused the twisted and carved wrought iron to almost glow. "It takes quite a while, but the marks get bigger, more detailed, farther. Sometimes it's like the lantern's trying to swallow me up, but I love it anyway." He said with his usual easy grin.

I looked at his face, focusing on the half of his face that he had covered up, today with a black beaked mask. "Is it…?" I let it trail off, knowing he'd understand.

He did. Reaching up, slowly, he pulled away the mask to reveal the midnight blue and leaf green marks that twined and strained across his jaw and along his cheekbone toward his eye, like a tree's branches toward the sun. "There's a reason I started calling myself 'Trick'." He explained with a smirk, turning his head to the side to give me a better look, "I use my trick-fire more than I do the other, so it's much more…_progressed_, I guess you could say."

"You're going to be okay though, right?"

He reached out and mussed my hair with a lopsided grin. "Aw, don't worry about me, Wisp. I'll be fine."

I frowned, pushing his hand away. "Trick—,"I cut off with a surprised yell when his lantern shot up from his lap and smacked me in the forehead before rolling away a bit to nestle in a bed of yellowed pine needles. "What was _that_ about?!" I gasped, rubbing my head where the lantern had hit it.

Trick stared at the lantern, eyes wide with shock. "I have _no_ idea."

We both scrambled after it as it began moving again, erratically, as if some feral thing was trapped inside of it and fighting for freedom.

"What did you _do_?" He asked me irritably as he chased the lantern away from the nearby cliff face.

"I didn't do anything," I replied, stumbling over a rock, "….at least, I don't _think_ I did."

I tripped over a tree root in an attempt to capture it, and Trick tackled it when it came to rest against the base of a pine tree, gripping it tightly to his torso. His fingers fumbled with the latch as he struggled to quickly open the thrashing lantern, throwing open the small door. Something akin to a shooting star burst out from the confines of the lantern to smack into my solar plexus, knocking the wind out of me, and I closed my hands around it to keep it from flying off again.

"Did you catch it?" Trick asked, brushing dirt and foliage from his backside as he stood, coming over to where I was.

"Think so," I brought my hands up to our face level and cautiously opened up my hands, both of us leaning in to peek at whatever it was.

His burning eyes opened so wide it would've been comical, were mine not exactly as big. His hands came up to mirror mine. "For flip's sake, what have you _done_, woman?" he breathed, though the question was filled with awe instead of anger.

"I think the better question is: what have _we_ done?"

We gazed down at the little…burning…thing. It was like a little girl, but instead of having a definitive shape (or feet, or even really hands) it had a basic shape and tiny, slender arms and a pixie-like face. The more I stared at it, the more I thought that its face looked alarmingly like Emmy's…or a very young version of me. Only, it had crimson hair instead of raven-black, and it glowed golden. _Just_ like Trick's treat-fire.

He worked his mouth a bit, lips curling in a strange smile. "Can I…can I hold it?"

I gave myself a mental shake. "Sure, I don't see why not." Carefully, slowly, I let it/her tumble into his waiting hands, watching as he shifted his hold on it—her?— so he was cradling it—_her_— gently in the crook of his elbow, albeit awkwardly.

I retreated into the back of my mind for my quick mental breakdown, letting it all out.

_OHHHHHHH MYYYYY GOD! _I mentally screamed, running in little mental circles with my head in my imaginary hands. _THAT'S NOT WHAT I THINK IT IS. THAT'S NOT WHAT I THINK IT IS. NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE! IT CAN'T BE. IT'S NOT—!_

_Yeah, I think it is_. Said the calm, all-knowing voice deep inside me that I had accepted as my conscience.

_BUT IT CAN'T—THAT'S NOT HOW—I DON'T UNDERSTAND!_

I snapped back into the physical world when I felt Trick's eyes on my face, watching me warily. "You alright, Wisp? You're flickering, and you got all vacant-eyed on me."

"I'm fine." I wheezed, a blatant lie, staring at the little burning girl protectively tucked in Trick's arms.

He graciously didn't call me out on my awful un-truth, opting instead to play along. "Her eyes opened a little while ago." He said conversationally, making me wonder how long I'd been mentally checked out.

"Yeah?"

He smiled softly down at her. "They're just like mine." He crooned, bouncing a bit.

I was torn between laughing and vomiting, I was so anxious and confused.

**A/N: Again, sorry it took so long! But summer vacation is four days away, meeeeeaning you all get chapters faster! Yay for you all! PLEEEASE review! It makes me update faster!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Okay, so you're getting this chapter **_**about**_** the same time as you'd get the others, but that's because I was really busy this week: school finally (**_**finally**_**, FINALLY) ended, summer is now officially here, I started seriously watching **_**Doctor Who**_** because I ran out of episodes of **_**Supernatural**_** on Netflix, I got a job, etc. I'm picking up some mixed feelings about the little addition to my OC clan, but I hope you all come to love her like you do Emmy, Trick and Myra "Wisp". **

**A/N 2: Thank you so, so much to my favoriters/followers and especially to my reviewers: Tragically Humorous, Random reader, maegirl, paigeafterpaige, Insanity-Red, The Amethyst Eyes (who left me a big review with LOTS of feedback—**_**feedback**_**! *squeal*), Moonpie, SkywardWriter, darthcat, Starcrier, and ShiroKoneko82. Anyway, this draft has been sitting empty save the Author's Notes for the past three days or so, so I best get on with it. Please, read and enjoy!**

I walked hesitantly over to where Trick was rocking the little burning girl until I stood just in front of him, peering down at her softly glowing face. "She can't be…she's not _ours_." I murmured, bewildered. "Is she?"

Trick's lips quirked in a teasing smile, his orange hair vibrant in the sunlight. "Goodness, you look positively green! Is the thought of having a child with me that horrific? I'm wounded."

"That's not what I—," Blush spread across my cheeks and warmed the tops of my ears.

Chuckling, he leaned in to peck my cheek, the tip of his nose cold against my temple. "You're too fun. Don't you fret, she's not really _ours_. Think of it like this: when you put your hand in the lamp, your fire left a biological imprint. Now, had you just stuck your hand in my lantern, our fires would've mixed, true, but yours would've eventually given way to mine. The wrapper gave our respective flames something to bind to—a sort of catalyst—mutating into something foreign, and resulting in the lantern's violent rejection and _this_ little lass."

I blinked owlishly at him, meeting his blazing eyes with mine. "That was a really…."

"Confusing answer?" He offered.

I smirked at him, gaze drifting slowly back to the kid. "I was going to say _scientific_ answer."

He shrugged, shifting her to his other arm. "I got curious a few years back. Hung around a chemistry classroom at a university—oh, the _tricks_ those college kids would pull!" He gave a happy sigh in remembrance. "Anyway, that was then, and this little one is now. Lasarina would be a good name."

I eyed the way he held her, watching him as he bounced and hummed _Galway Girl_ in a rich baritone. Smiling, I said, "I think it's lovely. What does it mean?"

"'Flame wine'."

"Okay," I extended my arms quickly to catch her as he handed her over to me. "…what do we do with her?"

He shrugged, laughing, and swallowed a Lemon Head. "Hell if I know! _You're_ the woman—maternal instinct not kicking in yet?" I aimed a kick at his shin, which he easily avoided. "Alright, alright _mo_ _tine_! Let me think for a moment."

While he mulled the situation over (and stuffed his face with gummy bears), I studied the little girl. Gods, how did I get myself into this situation again? I thought back over the past eight hours or so: after I took Emmy home from North's workshop, I went to the square, there was a band, I danced with Pitch—

I shook my head, clearing it before the memories could finish resurfacing as I felt the heat start to bloom across my cheeks.

"What's got you all red, then?" Trick asked, eyeing my face.

"Nothing; I'm fine." I said quickly, willing the blood from my face. "So, have you thought up a solution?"

He nodded, still seeming skeptical. "The only thing I could think of was leaving her with someone with more experience."

I scowled, feeling something tug at my hair. Did it get stuck on a branch or something? "Who, like Tooth?"

"Yeah!" he nodded eagerly. "I—oh, she's awake!"

"Hm?" I looked down as my hair was given another tug, my gaze captured by a wider version of Trick's. "Oh! Hi there."

Lasarina's head gave an aviary tilt as she sat up, rubbing one eye sleepily with the hand still wrapped up in my hair. "Hello, how long have I been sleeping?" Her voice, sweet and clear like a bell, had the same lilt as Trick's.

Trick kneeled down to be on the same level as her. "Not too long. I'm Trick," he said with a smile, holding out a finger for her to shake, which she slowly did, "and this is Wisp."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm… what's my name again?" she asked, directing the question to me.

"Lasarina."

"Right! I'm Lasarina." She smiled, seeming pleased by it. "That's a pretty name, isn't it?"

I smiled back. "Indeed it is."

"Okay then, what were we discussing?" Lasarina asked, looking to Trick expectantly.

He flicked a glance at me, looking bemused. "Wisp and I were trying to figure out what to do."

"Can I make a suggestion?" she drifted down from my arms like a fallen leaf before settling on the forest floor. Trick quickly stomped out a small fire that started when her hair touched a patch of underbrush. "I could always be on my own."

Trick and I stared at her, uncomprehending, him with one foot still raised as if to continue grinding out the embers of the bush. "Sorry, darlin', what was that?" Trick asked, lowering his booted foot.

"I'm not meaning that I want to go off into the wild or anything—I'm just saying that I don't need to be looked after. I'll still be around and everything." She clarified, nudging a bit at a pile of yellowing pine needles.

I exchanged a look with Trick, who shrugged. Part of me was relieved that she could take care of herself, but the rest of me was just so unbelievably confused by it all that all I could say was, "Okay, be careful."

"Mind that your hair doesn't set anything ablaze!" Trick yelled after her as she zipped off between the trees.

* * *

I hesitated before the tightly closed door to what used to be my room, fingers lightly rested on the knob. Emmy and Jenna were both at school, and Mom was gone at work, leaving the house empty for me to investigate. It was horrible of me to assume that my room would still _be_ my room, just as I'd left it that night—homework scattered over the bed, clothes strewn on the floor in front of my closet, books everywhere—when it probably wasn't. But there was still that part of me that considered itself human, that believed that the space behind this door was mine.

Slowly, so slowly, I turned the knob and pushed the door open, stepping through into the room. I let out the breath I hadn't known I was holding in an enormous sigh at the sight before me, leaning in the doorframe.

It was gone. All gone.

Sure, my bed was still there, and my dresser, but everything else had vanished. My bookcases were filled with trinkets instead of novels, my Moroccan-themed bedspread replaced with a pastel quilt. My clothes and homework were gone; a peek in my closet showed empty hangers and spare sheets and pillow cases. My room had been converted to a guest space.

Slowly, woodenly, I backed out of the room, closing the door behind me. I knew that it wouldn't be the same, but that didn't stop me from hoping. Where had all of my things gone? Charity? The garbage? How long had I been gone?

My hip bashed hard into the sharp edge of a desk, and I realized I had just kept backing up into Jenna's room. I focused on my surroundings, ignoring the offensive room across the hall as well as the throbbing pain in my hip and the unsteady flickering of my bioluminescence. Jenna's room hadn't changed at all: her navy- and green-striped duvet was made tight like a military cadet's, an extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of her bed, her name written big in scarlet Sharpie across her pillow cases. Her book cases seemed packed tighter than they used to be, both with books and video games, and her walls were cluttered with even more movie posters. Her desk was packed with towers of rolls of duct tape in every color and pattern imaginable.

My gaze zeroed in on a familiar set of Lord of the Rings Pez dispensers, still snug and safe in the box. I _knew_ those Pez dispensers. Mom had got them for me as a part of my Easter basket. That emerald sweater dress was also mine; Jenna had always loved borrowing it. Half-empty, a bottle of my favorite lotion sat on her desk, partially hidden behind a cup of pencils and pens. A flash of rich red fabric peeked out from under Jenna's duvet cover, and I went over to investigate.

There, under her covers, was my Moroccan bedspread.

"Oh, Jenna." I sighed, smoothing her duvet back over mine before rubbing at my suddenly itchy eyes. Hot tears slicked my fingers and dotted Jenna's pillow as I stood, hearing the front door open and close. Footsteps thundered up the stairs, and Jenna entered the room. Dropping her bag off at the door, she threw herself down into her desk chair, spinning lazily in a few circles with a sigh.

She closed her eyes and groaned. "I don't _want_ to do my Spanish homework." I watched her toe off her tennis shoes, plug her iPod into her iHome, and shift through her songs until she found what she was looking for. Eisley's _The Valley_ filled the small room.

—_But get it right  
I  
Don't believe in magic._

I let out a small chuckle. _Yep, that pretty much sums it up for us right now, doesn't it?_ I perched on her bed and watched her dig through her backpack, pulling out a binder that had long since breached its max capacity and a mechanical pencil. "It'd be easier if you listened to music that wasn't in _English_, silly girl." I told her after watching her struggle for a few minutes, drifting over so I could see what she was working on. "What, you're getting hung up on _this_? It's just simple conjugation, Jen! You could do this in your sleep! Here," I poked at a mistake she had made, noticing with satisfaction that my light had stopped flickering, "that should be _duermo,_ and this one over here should have an accent mark over the 'a'…"

I let out a small hiss of dissatisfaction when Jenna threw down her pencil, frustrated, and headed down the stairs, I assumed towards the kitchen for a snack. Picking up her pencil, I erased her mistakes and put in the correct forms of the given verbs, wincing at how different our handwriting styles were. Oh, well, not like she'd notice, right?

Jenna reemerged with Greek yogurt and a cluster of grapes, a spoon sticking out of her mouth, and she plopped back down in her desk chair. I was surprised to see her eyes grow wide as she looked at the several corrections to her worksheet, the spoon clattering to her desk comically. "How…?" She set aside her snack to pick up the paper with shaking fingers, studying the handwriting more closely. She cast a furtive glance around the room. She hesitated before calling out, "…Myra? Are you here?"

"Do you know anyone else that would take the time to correct your Spanish errors?" I quipped, one eyebrow raised. I waved a hand in front of her face, and was disappointed when she didn't seem to notice. "C'mon, don't get me excited like that."

Jenna kept going. "If you're here, can you like, do something?"

It finally clicked. I let out a laugh—my sister thought I was a _ghost_! She'd probably been watching too much _Supernatural_ and _Ghost Hunters: International_ again. Fine, I'd play along. I reached over, picking up a roll of purple leopard-print duct tape, and tossed it at her chest. She fumbled to catch it, eyes wide, and carefully put it back from where I'd gotten it.

"You're here," she breathed, smiling, "you're really here!"

"I'm more 'here' than you think, stupid." I said affectionately, throwing myself down onto her bed again.

"Quick, do something else! Make the lights flicker, or make it cold!" She said excitedly, cheeks flushed. "Umm, here! Say something!" She found a legal pad in the depths of her desk and a red ballpoint pen, holding them out like an offering before her.

I shook my head, smirking. "I'm afraid I can't do any of the other stuff, but I guess I can write you a little message." I took the pen and paper from her, making her gasp, and she watched eagerly over my shoulder as I started writing.

'You're a dork—I've been here the whole time. Emmy told you. You should listen to her more often.'

"Em was right? But— but how come I couldn't see you? Are you just weak or—?"

I scowled, quickly scribbling, 'For crying out loud, I'm not a ghost!'

Jenna's eyebrows shot up. "Well…what are you then?"

'It's complicated.' I wrote after a beat. 'Ask Emmy. And _don't__tell_ _Mom_! It would freak her out, if she even believed you.' I peeked out the window to see the sun starting to set and Mom's Honda Accord pulling up into the driveway, dropping Emmy off home between shifts.

"Right, okay." Jenna said, taking a shaky breath as Emmy's light tread was heard on the stairs. "Emmy! C'mere for a second!"

Emmy poked her head into the room, looking confused until she saw me floating comfortably with my notepad and pen. I gave her a little wave, making her smile and enter the room the rest of the way more confidently. "Yes, Jenna?"

"Myra's here, right?"

I squinted at her peevishly. "I already told you I was!"

Emmy fought to hide a smile. "Myra says you already know that."

Jenna swallowed hard. "What does she look like? I mean, is she the same, or…?"

Emmy shook her head. "She looks the same, except her hair's really pretty, like the night sky, and it floats around her. She can fly. Oh! And she glows." She ticked off my new traits on her fingertips.

"She glows?" Jenna repeated slowly.

Emmy nodded. "When she's mad she bursts into flame, though. Not regular fire—it's almost white. Did I miss anything, Myra?"

I ruffled her bangs. "You did good, kiddo."

Jenna watched the movement of Emmy's hair like a hawk watching its prey. "You…she can touch you?"

Emmy blinked at her. "Yeah, just like how I can see her. Why? Can't you see her yet?"

"No!"

I picked the notepad and pen back up, 'It's 'cause you don't really believe in me.'

Jenna snatched the paper from me, looking frustrated. "Of course I believe in you!"

"Maybe it's like in _Peter_ _Pan_, and you're just too old?" Emmy offered. Jenna sputtered as she looked for something to say.

I shook my head. "I don't think that's it. Maybe she needs visual proof?"

Emmy's eyes lit up. "I could draw a picture!"

_Gods, you're too cute! _I smiled down at her. "You do that, kiddo." I cast another look outside, frowning when I saw a flash of movement outside the window. "Hey, tell Jenna that I'll be right back. I think I saw something move outside."

"Okay, then I'll work on your picture." Emmy nodded, then relayed the message to Emmy as I unlatched and opened the window, easing myself out onto the roof.

Warm wind blasted my hair back from my face as I stood, peering into the darkness, the moonlight faint through the thick cloud coverage. It smelled like it was going to rain soon. Something moved up and to my left, and I followed it to the next level of the roof as the wind died down. When I got up there, though, nothing was there—just me and the night. I scrubbed a hand through my hair, frowning, before shrugging and moving to go back down to the girls.

I let out a shriek when I bumped into a familiar chest, strong arms locking around me as I moved to leap away from him. Pitch chuckled low in my ear, barely audible over the thundering of my heart. Heat creeped up my neck and across my cheeks as I remembered the last time Pitch had held me like this. Now that the wind had died down, I could hear Jenna's music coming from the window to drift through the air around us. I barely suppressed a groan—_more_ Frank Sinatra, this time his _The Best is Yet to Come_.

"Pitch, damn it, you—!" I bit my bottom lip to keep from finishing the statement, looking off to the side.

"I what? Scared you?" He teased, cool breath stirring the hair by my ear and making me shiver. "Oh, did I _really_?"

I forced my hands between us and tried to push at his chest, to no avail. "What do you _want_, Pitch?"

"Ooh, not very amicable tonight, are we? Come now, I didn't bother you at all today—don't think I haven't noticed the fact that you've been avoiding dark and dimly-lit places all day. I also know about Trick's little _flirtation_ with you."

"Are you jealous, Pitch?"

"Do you want me to be?" He fired back, dusk-colored eyes burning. I pointedly turned my face away when he tried to catch my gaze with his, earning a frustrated sigh from him. "Stubborn girl. What's with this attitude?"

I opted for obstinate silence. I shuddered at the feeling of his lips brushing lightly against my throat, felt him smile. The fear he carried with him clenched around my heart as its beating quickened, becoming more erratic as it accelerated. His arms still caging me in, he started to sway softly to the music, and I focused on the lyrics to try to ignore his presence.

—_Come the day you're mine  
I'm gonna teach you to fly  
We've only tasted the wine  
We're gonna drain that cup dry_

Wait till your charms are right  
for these arms to surround  
You think you've flown before,  
but baby you ain't left the ground

Wait till you're locked in my embrace  
Wait till I hold you near  
Wait till you see that sunshine place  
There ain't nothin' like it here

The best is yet to come,  
and wont that be fine  
The best is yet to come,  
come the day your mine

Oh, yeah, that helped take my mind off of the situation. _Not_.

"Could it have something to do with the last time we were together?" he wondered aloud, pressing his lips to my forehead.

"Stop," I said, the word barely audible, closing my eyes.

"I can't."

I tilted my face up, eyes opening to find his yellow-gray eyes focused on mine, our faces not three inches apart. "Why's that?"

His face lit up in a brilliant smile that made my breath catch, one of his hands coming up to cup my chin. "How could I even _dream_ of stopping when your fear is so delectable?"

That strange calm settled over me, and I hummed in the back of my throat thoughtfully. "You make me sound like a dessert."

His eyes flared at my sudden bravado, and his smirking mouth slanted across mine. When his guard appeared to be down, I pushed at his chest, making me stagger backwards, but his arm stayed looped around my waist, constricting when we tipped backwards. My boot heel slipped from the edge of the roof, and I automatically clutched him to me as we fell, my heart leaping into my throat as his fear buried itself in it.

**A/N: Sorry it took so long! Thank you so much for your patience! Please review, they make me so happy! **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Oh my gosh, have I told you guys how awesome you all are recently? You all are THE BEST. Seriously, you have no idea how awesome you all are. 'Kay, just thought you should know. Thanks to all of my new favoriters/followers, and cake to my reviewers: AtomicFacePalm666, Starcrier, Tragically Humorous, Shire (are you a LOTR fan as well, by any chance?), Moonpie, maegirl, Random Reader, and OhMeOhMy. Those were some of the most well thought-out reviews I've received for a while, and I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Thank you all so, so much. Read and enjoy!**

The falling sensation stopped, though I could still feel the pull of gravity acting on me, and I kept my arms locked tightly around Pitch. Peeking through my lashes, I realized Pitch had used one of his abyssal shadows to bring us to, of all places, my guardrail. Only problem was, we had reappeared with him firmly on the walkway on the safe side of the rail, whereas I had only my toes lodged in the inner railing of it on the river's side, the only things keeping me from falling being my hold on him and his arm around my waist.

"Easy there, Wisp!" he laughed, pulling me close so that my knees dug into the metal of the rail. "You almost fell."

I glared at him, trying to ignore how my heartbeat picked up upon hearing the sound of the river rushing far, far below. "_I_ wasn't supposed to fall; _you_ were!"

Pitch grinned down at me, yellow-gray eyes thoroughly amused. "Hmm, and yet you're the one who took a tumble."

I stared at him, bewildered. "You are _unbelievable_!"

"Why, thank you." He paused, looking at me expectantly. "So, which way will it be?"

I scowled, unsure of his meaning, and eyed him skeptically. "What do you mean, 'which way'?"

"Which way will you fall?" He repeated slowly, deliberately. His arm loosened around me to make his point, and I let out a gasp, tightening my hold on him. "Choose."

"You are freaking _insane_!" I snarled, our faces inches apart. "How sick can you be? _Seriously_! Is this just some _game_ to you; toying with people until you get the fun reaction you want, no matter how it affects them?"

His eyes flared more yellow than gray, sparking with something akin to frustration. "_Choose_." He snapped again.

My eyes widened with a realization, fingers loosening their hold on the collar of his coat. "This isn't about the river at all, is it? This is about _you_ being jealous!"

"That, my dear, is where you're wrong." Pitch growled, his hand locking onto my waist, fingers digging into me. Suddenly the river was very, very loud, rushing along with the sound of my blood in my ears, and his fear easily embedded itself in my heart, leeching its poison in me. "Because in order to be _jealous_, I would have to actually _care_. Now, _which way will you fall_?"

My chest shuddered with every erratic breath I took, my efforts at controlling my temper visible by the flames erupting here and there along my neck and arms, the flickering of my light in general. The wind was as irregular as my heartbeat as it lashed at us. I reached down, grabbing Pitch's wrist with my burning hand to make him let go, hearing him hiss with pain. Shooting him one last, disdainful glare, I turned on my heel and hopped off into the empty air.

I swallowed hard once the realization of what I'd just done sank in with the view of the fast approaching river, Pitch's fear flowing freely through me. My heart felt like it was about to explode free from the vice-tight confines of my chest. The air wouldn't catch me this time; I was too panicked to even _attempt_ flight. My eyes focused on the sharp rocks and debris that poked through the rapid surface of the river, and my head pulsed with each throb of my heart. With extreme effort, I pulled my splayed limbs in tight, rapping my arms around my legs and squeezing my eyes shut as tight as I could.

The water was freezing, but that wasn't the worst part. It _HURT_. It hurt so, _so_ bad, extinguishing my flames and eliciting a choking, underwater cry from my throat. The bracken water took the chance to fill my mouth and nose, continuing on to invade my lungs as I writhed. The current dragged me along the bottom of the river, scraping me against rocks, felled trees and submerged rubbish.

And then it was gone, all gone. I was kneeling on a hard, unforgiving surface, my wet and heavy hair hanging in my face and wrapped around my neck like it was trying to strangle me for being so _stupid_. I choked and sputtered as someone pounded viciously on my back, coughing the water back up from my lungs. The back of my throat and my sinuses felt raw, and it seemed like I'd never really stop spitting out the water. The whacking lessened into gentle, soothing circles being rubbed along my spine as I calmed down. I scrubbed at my eyes, rubbing at the silt and grit clinging to my eyelashes as I sputtered and sneezed. My mouth tasted like dirt, rotted foliage and fish, and my teeth chattered noisily.

Weight settled around my shoulders, fabric as soft as the surrounding night brushing against my arms and neck, and a pair of strong arms pulled me flush against a chest as solid as the stone below. "_Stupid, stubborn girl_!" A familiar voice snarled in my ear as hands chafed the fabric against my arms. "Why would you _do_ that? Why would you jump?"

"P-P-P-P-Pitch," I tried as he held me close.

His arms constricted tighter around me, his chin resting on the top of my head. "_Don't try to talk_!" He lifted one of my hands out of the confines of the weight—his coat—and analyzed it. I was shocked by how dead it looked, giving off only the occasional weak flicker of light; I'd become so accustomed to the warm light I usually gave off that I'd forgotten how _dull_ normal flesh looked.

While he did that, I looked around blearily. We were in his lair, next to the glowing globe sculpture with all of its tiny lights. I slowly looked down, mindful of my aching neck, at the coat that was wrapped around me like a blanket. Pitch was always wearing this damn thing; what did he look like when it was off?

Pitch muttered a curse under his breath, making me smirk, and summoned one of his awful horses. "Go get that _damned_ Trickster!" he ordered, and with a terror-stricken whinny the mare did just that, bolting for one of the darkest shadows nearby and disappearing.

My head felt too heavy for my neck, so I rested it against his shoulder, shivering hard. I looked up, meeting his dusk-colored eyes with mine, and was surprised by how remorseful they looked. He pressed my hand to his chest so I could feel the racing heartbeat there, my eyes widening in surprise.

He let his eyes drift closed, leaning down to rest his forehead against mine. "Silly girl; _I'm_ supposed to scare _you_, not the other way around."

"P-Pitch," I tried again, clenching my fingers in the fine material of the shirt he wore.

"Please," he whispered, not opening his eyes, "just for a while, just…don't."

I nodded, letting my eyes close to rest for a while, feeling Pitch's heart rate slowly calm beneath my fingertips.

"You know, it's funny." Pitch mumbled, startling me out of the almost sleep-like state I'd entered. "I can't really tell what your worst fear is right now. It seems to be a toss-up of one of three things: me caring, me _not_ caring, and…." He trailed off, opening his eyes to look at my hand again.

I opened my mouth to say "And…?", but closed it before the sound could come out, shutting it with a soft _click_ as my teeth met.

"I'm so sorry, Wisp." He said, so softly I wasn't really sure that I'd heard it, pressing the back of my hand to his lips. I noticed, vaguely, that I wasn't even flickering anymore.

"My god, what's _happened_?!" Trick's horrified voice shocked me from my sleep, and I turned my head groggily toward the sound. Trick's eyes were practically spewing fire as he ran towards where we were, Lasarina on his tail. I smiled softly, seeing her with him. "What happened to her?"

My voice was horribly raspy, grating on my own nerves as I held up a hand to keep Pitch silent. "I fell in the river. Pitch fished me out." I croaked, not really able to focus.

Trick dropped to his knees opposite Pitch, clasping my free hand in both of his as the fierce inferno trying to burst free of him calmed down. "Oh, _leannán_, of all the things for you to do," Trick's voice was strangely hoarse.

"You're the closest to being like her that I could think of." Pitch interjected, looking stressed. "She stopped flickering about ten minutes ago."

It was Trick's turn to curse, and his face set in a look of pure determination. "Alright. Pitch, you'll need to leave for a while; go somewhere dark and deep. I'll come get you when it's done."

"When what's done?" Pitch demanded with a suspicious glare.

A muscle ticked in Trick's jaw. "Wisp is made of _fire_, Pitch. She's going out. I trust you know what happens when a fire goes out?" Trick didn't give Pitch time to respond. "I'll have to reignite her, and that's bound to cause a _hell_ of a lot of light. Light is bad for you, yeah? Ergo, you need to leave. _Now_."

A hysterical part of my mind laughed raucously. To try and vex Pitch, I had essentially committed suicide. Lovely. And now I was 'going out'. Well, I could never think of _that_ expression the same ever again.

Pitch turned my face towards him, cupping my face in both of his hands as he dove in, kissing me soundly. He pulled away, leaving me stunned, and dissipated into the shadows, taking his coat with him.

I blinked at Trick and Lasarina as they closed in around me, the tinier fire spirit taking the Boogeyman's place. "What's going to happen?" I asked Trick as he pulled me close, situating me so I was leaning against one of his shoulders.

Trick's jaw tightened as he unlatched one of the sides of his lantern; I was too out of it to recognize which side. "Nothing's going to happen, _leannán_; you're going to be fine, you hear me? You're going to be perfectly fine, just like you were this morning. You're going to be joking around real soon, don't you fret."

"Trick?"

He stopped his fussing, giving me his full attention. "Yes, _leannán_?"

"What is it that you keep calling me?"

Trick turned back to the lantern. "I call you lots of things, lass. You'll have to be more specific."

I put one hand on top of his where it rested on the open lantern. "_Leannán_. What does _leannán_ mean?"

"'Sweetheart'." He said definitively, turning his burning gaze on mine. "It means 'sweetheart'."

"Oh," I said quietly.

"Enough gabbing. Lasarina, make sure that lantern doesn't close 'til I say so. Sorry, this might hurt a bit." He apologized, making me nervous. One hand keeping me upright, Trick jabbed his other hand directly into the open lantern, a greedy roar letting me know that the flames were probably giving him new marks. Before I could ask any more questions, Trick slanted his mouth across mine, and I gasped as I felt his fire pour into me through the contact, closing my eyes against the brightness. The flames licked along my veins, igniting every cell in my body and electrifying me like lightning. Warmth developed in my chest, whirling and growing until I felt like a miniature sun

The heat and energy continued to build and build, and for a moment I was terrified I would burn out like a short-circuited fuse. The excess energy pulled back tight inside me, making sure I had just enough, before returning to Trick, leaving me feeling rejuvenated like I'd just woken from a long and pleasant nap. I opened my eyes to see Pitch's usually dim and gloomy lair lit up like the middle of a clear summer's day, and I realized Trick hadn't been exaggerating; if Pitch had still been in here during the transfer, he probably would've been roasted.

Gradually our surroundings dimmed to _almost_ Pitch's standard, and Trick broke our kiss, breathing raggedly like he'd finished a particularly grueling marathon. Slumping, he rested his brilliant head on my shoulder, his eyes less blazing and more…smoldering.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, hesitantly smoothing his hair back from his eyes to try to get a better look. "You look wiped out."

"Please, 'Rina…lantern." He panted, his eyes closing to slits with exhaustion as he tugged his hand free of the fire. Lasarina did as she was bid, sliding the lantern's doors closed and locking them securely.

Trick collapsed the rest of the way onto me, out cold, making me yell in surprise. "Crap, Trick? Trick, what's the matter?!" Did he give me too much?! I looked down at my arms, surprised to see that I was back to my normal, happy glow.

"Take me back to my Hollow…I'll be grand." He muttered sleepily, winding his arms around my waist securely.

I looked to Lasarina, confused. "Do you know how to get there?"

She nodded, looking pleased that she could help in some way. "Sure. Watch this." With a bit of effort, she took the lantern a few feet away from where I struggled with Trick's extra bulk and got it spinning. She kept spinning it, faster and faster, until eventually it formed a flaming vortex, stirring up a hot, buffeting wind that whipped my hair around like a hurricane.

"That'll do." I pulled one of Trick's large arms across my shoulders, towing him towards the apparent portal. "So, we just step in?"

Lasarina nodded, encouraging me on, and came up on Trick's other side to try to help balance him out while also managing the weight of the lantern. Stepping in was like getting almost unbearably close to a bonfire, but Lasarina and I managed to pull him through to the other side. The portal imploded with a barely audible _pop_ as I checked out my new surroundings. Everything was very, very green, a green so rich and vibrant it hurt the eyes. It was like a small, enclosed grove entirely closed in by trees that curved up and over to make a natural vaulted ceiling. Dotting the grove were ancient stone braziers full of either merrily crackling treat-fire or spitting trick-fire, the colors flickering and causing the shadows around the forested area to dance. Off to the side was a cavern-like area, which I took to be Trick's chambers.

My guess was correct; inside the stone enclosure were more of the old braziers with their opposing flames, as well as an ancient wardrobe full to bursting with costume pieces and other articles of clothing. Next to that were several bookshelves, the top of which were coated with centuries' worth of melted candle wax, their descendents burning atop their remains warmly. Opposite that was a low stone bed piled high with mattresses dressed in silk and down comforters. It looked way too comfy for something found in a forest, but I wasn't really one to judge, I guessed.

I eased him down onto the bed, the arm he still had wrapped around my waist causing me to go down with him. "Trick, you're home. You can let me go now." I told him, trying to unclench his fingers from the ruined fabric of my skirt. Looked like Emmy would get to see Tooth after all, unless Jenna was willing to give me some of my clothes back (not likely to happen); this dress was toast. "Seriously, Trick—I'm all gross from the river, and I'm _exhausted_."

"So stay here." He mumbled, wrapping both arms around me to keep my back secure against his chest when I thought I was free. His chin rested on top of my head.

I raised an eyebrow, though I knew he couldn't see it. "You're totally fine, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not." He argued, releasing one arm from around me to pull the covers up around us, shoes and all. "For one thing, my bed is cold."

I tried really hard not to think of that as him trying to flirt. "You're made of fire too. I'm sure you'll heat it up in no time. Now, if you'll just let me up…."

"_Stay_." He sighed sleepily in my ear. "Please."

"Trick,"

"_Leannán,"_ I could hear the smile in his voice. I sighed, feeling like I was losing the battle. "Isn't this bed comfortable enough for you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, your bed is very nice. I could easily pull a Rip Van Winkle in it."

He chuckled, resting his cheek on my hair. "I want twenty minutes, not twenty _years_…unless you're offering, of course."

I shook my head, laughing. "You are absolutely _incorrigible_, you know that?"

"I'm not incorrigible, I'm persistent." He corrected primly, making me snicker. "I've been told that it pays off. Is it working on you?"

I made a noncommittal sound in the back of my throat, feeling the stress of the day's events leech away with every passing moment spent in this ridiculously comfortable bed. Every CEO in the world needed a bed like this. And world leader. And single mother. For argument's sake, let's just say every freaking person needed a bed like this.

"Take it as a 'yes'." Trick chuckled before giving a happy sigh of contentment.

**A/N: Chapter 13's done, AND it's early! I feel accomplished! Please, review! It makes me insanely happy!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Reviews, oh how I love reviews! Whenever I get one I have to drop what I'm doing to read it, and then I usually wear an enormous, silly grin for the rest of the day. So here we go, ANOTHER new chapter for you all. Don't go getting used to it, though, lol—I'm a working girl now, after all. **

**A/N 2: As always, thank you to my new followers/favoriters and my fantastic reviewers: NightmareFlames, Starcrier, Tragically Humorous, maegirl, JammieSkies, paigeafterpaige, OhMeOhMy, Random Reader, SunnyStarr, Moonpie, AtomicFacePalm666, TheRookMaster, somekindofzombie, and . You all are beyond amazing, especially for being so expedient in your responses. I think I'll go ahead and comment on/respond to some of the questions and such.**

**To AtomicFacePalm666: Silly person, I 'torture' you all because I'm sadistic ^_^ Also, I've clearly been watching too much **_**Doctor Who**_**; I just read your 'FANTASTIC' in David Tennant's voice.**

**To NightmareFlames: I'm thinking that for the ending I might do two alternative endings and just let you all pick whichever one to like best, because I'm just as torn between the two of them as you all are. The end won't be for a while though, so who knows?**

**To Starcrier: You are **_**so**_** much fun! Your reviews always make me laugh. Thanks for that, really.**

**To Tragically Humorous: Pitch was ABSOLUTELY jealous.**

**To maegirl: I'm glad that you love Trick. I must say I'm partial to him, too :)**

**To JammieSkies: I freaking **_**love**_** your reviews. They're super long (so long, in fact, that I have to actually go to the site in order to read them in their entirety) and they ask **_**so**_** many questions! I love it, even when you start to babble and overanalyze because I do that all the time. And the puns are fun. To answer your question: 'Rina reaches about to their knees, but she alternates between walking around and floating. This is probably because Wisp flies all the time whereas Trick runs everywhere. Hope that helps ^_^**

**To paigeafterpaige: Hahaha, I scream at books too! (Especially if I'm really enjoying them). **

**To OhMeOhMy: Your reviews always sound so excited, almost frazzled, and that makes me smile. Yes, this is quite possibly a love-triangle—like, a 99.99999% chance. ;) **

**To Random Reader: Lol ooh, that **_**would**_** be fun. And I'm typing as fast as I can!**

**To SunnyStarr: I'm glad you're enjoying the Fanfiction! While I don't consider Jack a serious contender for Wisp's affections,we'll have to see what the future holds. He **_**will**_** make a comeback soon, though, so don't worry! **

**To Moonpie: That's what I heard in my head, too! **

**Okay, I have to stop now or I'll never get this chapter done, but I do love all of you guys.**

**A/N 3: I own nothing but the plot and my OCs. Here's your new chapter. Please read and enjoy!**

"_No_," I said and shook my head, pulling at Trick's arms to try to get them away from my midsection so that I could wriggle free. I kicked the covers furiously as they tried to tangle around my legs, ignoring Trick's agitated sigh. "_No_, that's _not_ to be taken as a 'yes'. It's not to be _taken_ as anything. "

My breath hitched in my lungs as Trick pressed his lips to the edge of my jaw. "If I can't have your words, can I have _you_?"

I blinked, taken aback. "That's…."

"Intense?"

"I was going to go for 'creepy', but that works too."

He unwound his arms from around me, and when I turned to look at him I could've sworn he was blushing. He shrugged, going for nonchalant. "It was worth a shot." He propped himself up on one elbow and watched me flail for liberation from the consuming cushions. "Having trouble?"

I scowled at him. Sarcastically I said, "Just a bit."

"That settles it, then." He grinned, a bit of his old spark developing in the dull coals his eyes had become after my rekindling. He reached down to pull the covers back up with his free hand, the red and gold knot work glittering in the firelight. "_You_ aren't meant to leave."

I smacked at his chest as I floundered, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "_Stop_ that!" The fire in his eyes flickered as he winced from the meager blows, and I quickly apologized.

"Careful, _leannán_." He grumbled, relaxing back against his pillows and rubbing his chest where I'd hit him. "Just went through an intensive re-ignition, remember?"

_Yes, I can tell that it _really_ took all the energy right out of you, _I thought drily. I finally wrestled into a sitting position, the toes of my boots hanging over the edge of the bed. Flicking a strand of mud-caked hair from my eyes, I raised an eyebrow at him over my shoulder. "Is that even a word, 're-ignition', or did you just make it up?" I waved a hand at him dismissively before he could answer, noting with revulsion the filth caked under my fingernails from where I'd grabbed at the riverbed. "Never mind…just out of curiosity, how do you bathe?" I added after a moment.

He gave me a wry smile, flashing his sharp white teeth. "Naked, usually."

Set myself right up for that one. "_Trick_,"

"Sorry, couldn't resist." He chuckled. "Look, it only hurt when your flames were out, yeah? Keep that fire under control, and you should be fine…of course, you could always call me to stand in as a lifeguard." His eyelids dipped a bit so his flaming eyes looked at me through his lashes, his smile a bit too warm.

Shaking my head and ignoring the heat burning along the tops of my ears. "You are definitely incorrigible."

"I told you, I'm _persistent_." He chuckled softly, rolling his shoulders to get in a more comfortable position.

I smirked at him. "Okay. I have to get going, but I'll come by later to see how you're doing."

"What's so important that you have to leave _now_?" He sighed. Lasarina moved to catch his mask as he tossed it aside carelessly. "Thank you, 'Rina." He added with a smile, raking his hands through his vibrant hair. He was acting like a petulant child (towards me, anyway). A petulant child with the body of a man, eyes that literally burned and a bed that tried to eat people, but still—a child.

I twisted around to stare at him, disbelieving. "Don't you remember? You promised Pitch you'd let him know when I was better, but since you're currently out of commission, I'll have to go instead." I scooted to the edge of the bed, standing up with some effort. When he didn't respond with some snappy comeback, I turned back to him, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from smirking at his sulky posture. "Can I get you anything before I go?"

"Besides your arse back here?" He joked, smiling seeming strained. His eyelids drooped heavily, as if he was having trouble staying awake. I eyed him doubtfully, unsure if he really was that weak or if he was just psyching me out.

I gave him a hard _look_. "Are you okay? Honestly."

"I'll be fine, _leannán_. Just need a bit of shut-eye." He paused, thinking or dozing, I couldn't tell. "And sweets. I need sweets _badly_."

"Does it speed up the recovery process?" I asked, curious.

Trick let out a bark of laughter. "Hell if I know—I just know I'm _starved_!"

I smirked a little, looking across the cavern-like room to see 'Rina digging through a cabinet filled to the ceiling with an endless stock of candy. She carefully filled a basket with sugary goodness, forgetting her hair as it caught a chain of FunDip packets on fire, the smell of burning sugar filling the air.

"'_RINA_!" Trick groaned, passing his hands across his eyes as I rushed over to stomp out the flames. "Damn it, darlin', be more careful!"

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" The little fire sprite gasped repeatedly, running over to where a stream of crystalline water spilled from the ceiling into a large pool in the corner of the room. Candy wrappers littered about the cavern floor caught fire in her wake as she tripped along, and my stomach burned from how hard I was laughing. Her usually golden cheeks had a vibrant scarlet tint as 'Rina got up, picked up the burning candies and wrappers and tossed them in the pool, where the flames went out with a hiss.

I was still chuckling as I straightened, pushing my matted hair out of my face. "I'll leave you in her capable hands…as soon as I figure out how to get out of here."

Trick flicked a hand at where his lantern rested on the floor to my left. "Use that; it'll get you where you need to go. And here," He added as an afterthought, tossing me a very infamous piece of red and gold candy, "for when you're ready to come back. What's that face for?"

I was scowling at the candy that I held by a corner of the wrapper, eyeing it with distrust. "Last time I had one of these I damn near choked to death."

He shrugged, unapologetic, and smiled warmly. "Wouldn't be much of a treat from me without a bit of a trick, now would it?"

I shook my head, but kept the candy nonetheless. "I'm leaving now."

Trick wasn't paying attention. "'Rina, darlin', your hair! Your _hair_! _Mind_ _your_ _hair_!"

I reemerged from the fiery portal, staggering forward several steps before coming to a halt. The inferno behind me died, plunging the surrounding area into an inky blackness. There wasn't a hint of brightness anywhere, the darkness even seeming to swallow what little light I gave off in my confusion. There was no wind, no noise, no apparent _anything_, just darkness. I held my hands out in front of me, risking a few steps forward. "Where…?"

There was a whooshing sound, the first I'd heard since the fire had closed up, and my arms folded in as I was crushed in an embrace. "Pitch?"

The pressure disappeared almost as soon as it had appeared. "You're alright." His rich voice came at me from all directions.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I—,"

Pitch cut me off. "What _took_ so long? I was going out of my mind—,"

It was my turn to interrupt him. "Were you…worried?" I asked quietly, unable to keep the smile from my voice.

"No, I was just impatient." He quipped.

I struggled between wanting to smile and wanting to smack him (if I could even find him). Wasn't this conversation taking the same direction as the argument we had on the bridge before I hopped off? In the end, I did neither; I stood still, crossing my arms over my chest. "Sorry, Trick was weak after the whole…process. He had me take him back to his place."

Pitch let out a derisive snort. "Oh, I bet he was." I thought I caught a flash of Pitch's dusk-colored eyes in my peripheral vision, but when I whirled around he was gone.

I let my hands drop to my sides, staring fixedly at the spot where I'd thought he'd been. "Anyway, I just wanted to say…I'm sorry. For jumping." _Even though it is your fault._ I added silently. He stayed quiet, so I continued after a slight hesitation. "You just made me so _frustrated, _what with the stupid 'choose' thing and—," I clamped my mouth shut, taking several deep breaths. "Never mind. Where are we, anyway? I can't see anything."

"I _know_ you can't," Pitch hummed low, right next to my ear, making me jump, "you've been staring at nothing for a while now. My, my, what's this?"

I frowned, curious. "What's what?"

Pitch's arms came up around me from behind, one wrapped around my waist and the other across my torso, one long-fingered hand resting on my shoulder. The fabric of his coat, once more back on his person, was whisper-soft against my throat. His fingertips were light as a moth's wing as they brushed past my shoulder, along my neck, to linger on my jaw. I closed my eyes, feeling the color recede from my face as I realized he was talking about where Trick had kissed me. What had Trick done to make trouble for me _now_?

"This, here." His fingers grasped my chin, tilting my face up and to the side, presumably so he could get a better look. "A very peculiar burn, I must say…." He murmured, his thumb brushing across it.

I shrugged, trying to come off as aloof. "Maybe it happened accidentally when Trick was rekindling me?"

"There's no need to pretend, Wisp." His grip tightened on my chin, jerking my face higher. "It was no 'accident', and you know it as well as I do. Don't worry, it's almost healed." He let out a sigh, like he found something particularly tiring. "His antics are trying on my levels of tolerance."

I opened my eyes, twisting in his grasp to face him. "I have _no_ idea what you're talking about."

There was a flash of teeth in the dark as he grinned. "I know. This could still work in my favor, though—perhaps even better than I'd originally planned."

I clenched my teeth together in frustration. "Both of you do nothing but speak in riddles. I'm _tired_ of it; let me _go_."

Pitch hummed low in the back of his throat, a soft pressure brushing against where my jaw met my neck. "Yes, I believe you mean that. I can taste it, right here; the fear, not of _me_—,"

"_Stop_ it," I wrestled to try to get free from him, and his arms constricted tighter.

He laughed richly at my expense. "Mmm, for now, perhaps." The tip of his nose grazed my throat. "In the meantime, I can't have the whelp trying to upstart me, can I?" I started, seeing Pitch's yellowish eyes inches from mine. "This is going to put a strain on business relations, _that's_ a certainty."

"Pitch—," Before I could voice my complaint, his face grew closer, that same pressure capturing my mouth in a kiss. He broke off after a moment, and I cracked my eyes open, unaware that I had closed them again, my hands sliding up to run the tips of my fingers along his sword-sharp cheekbones. My hands came back down to fist in the front of his coat, pulling him back down to my level with a vicious tug. "_Don't_." I rasped. "Not unless you mean it." I felt my rage become visible in the form of my flames, and I focused that in one searing kiss at the corner of his jaw, hearing him hiss with pain. "I'm _not_ a piece of property for you two to squabble over. You'd do well to remember that."

Pitch's smile practically glowed in the dark when I pulled back, yellow-gray eyes scorching mine. His fingers latched around my wrist before I could get too far away. "Make sure that you look nice for tonight. It's going to be a show that you're not going to want to miss."

More damn riddles. I ripped myself away from him, floating back into the murk of the surrounding darkness several feet, feeling it envelop me. My flames died down when I realized Pitch wasn't coming after me, and I started wandering away from where I thought I had been with Pitch, my floating mass of twinkling hair giving me the illusion of wandering through the night sky instead of through some unknown darkness. The shadows opened up, and I was in North's workshop, across the vast room from the big man's office. A nearby elf stared at me with enormous, startled eyes as I floated past it, headed for North.

I didn't bother knocking before entering the office, which was admittedly probably not the best thing to do when going to consult a man that keeps two cutlasses and a chainsaw at his desk, but I did it anyway. North looked up at my entrance with a scowl. "Phil, _how_ many _times_ have I told you to—oh! It is you, Wispy!" The smile that had begun to develop on his cheery face darkened with concern as he got up from his stool, stomping over to where I stood in the doorway. "What has _happened_ to you, Wispy?"

I blinked up at the hulking man, thinking. "Um… a _lot_. Do you have a shower?"

* * *

I sat on the edge of the bed in what had become essentially my room at North's place, a guest robe tied tightly around me, and waited for Tooth's imminent arrival, swinging my legs in the empty air. I didn't have to worry about towel-drying my hair—my inner body-temperature was so warm now (especially when I thought about how infuriating Pitch was—which I totally _was_ _not_ doing), just running my hands through my hair about dried it. Emmy sat just behind me and practiced her braiding with my hair, and every now and then she'd tug a little too hard through a knot. North had brought her here, as well as Jenna, without me having to ask; he seemed to have gotten about as attached to her as I had. Jenna had gone about catatonic from the shock. On the bright side, she could see me now—at least, that's what I assumed, since she sat in the chair by the window and just _stared_ at me.

Tooth burst through my door, looking positively chipper except for the determined glint in her eye, her clones behind her hauling several garment bags. This was going to take a while.

"Wisp! How are you?" She asked brightly, her attention quickly shifting to the other two girls in the room. "Oh! These must be your sisters!" She did a little wave to Emmy, who probably regretted having just eaten two little cupcakes she'd snagged from a passing elf earlier.

I waved back for Emmy. "Hey Tooth. Yeah, this is Emmy, and the one who looks about ready to pass out is Jenna."

Tooth's amethyst gaze focused on my hand, taking in the red and gold knot work. "_That's_ new."

I smiled tiredly. "It's a long story."

Tooth nodded in acknowledgement. "You can tell me while you try on _these_." She said with a grin, piling my arms full of fabric and shoving me behind a dressing screen.

Jenna came up to my side after I was finished telling my story and the fourth dress—a saffron empire-waist gown with scarlet trim—had decidedly been rejected, undoing the pearl buttons in the back for me. "She's real—the Tooth Fairy is real."

"Yep." I said, holding the front of the dress up so it wouldn't fall. "And so are Santa Claus, Sandman, the Easter Bunny, and Jack Frost."

Emmy popped up on my other side with another dress. "The Boogeyman is, too!" she piped up.

I took the heavy bag from her with a smile. "Yes, he's real, too." _Much to my dismay_.

Jenna scowled, steering Emmy away from the back of the screen so I could have some privacy. "So you and this guy Trick try to burn some trash, and that somehow results in me and Emmy becoming aunts?" She snickered. "Remind me to never recycle."

I nearly dropped the red sequined dress by its feathered straps, blushing furiously. "It's not like that!" I shoved the dress back in the bag, reaching for a new bag. "_Tooth_! Why is there nothing in here with pants?!"

I heard Tooth laugh, the sound like silver bells, and the sounds of her digging through the other bags. "Being a mom isn't really that bad, Wisp…."

"Please, don't encourage them." A heavy black mass descended on my head from over the top of the screen; I smiled when I recognized them as a pair of pants much like the other pair that the river had trashed, and pulled them on quickly. "Thank you!"

I tugged on a dress such a deep red it was nearly black by its sweetheart top, its off-the-shoulder straps soft as velvet as Jenna snorted. "I don't see how it can be any other way. Still, if you had to pick _some_one—,"

"We are _so_ not talking about this right now." I laughed without humor, pulling the zipper up sharply as I rounded to the other side of the screen. "What do you think about this one?"

Emmy looked up from where she sat on the rugs on the floor, surrounded by Mini-Tooths, while the Tooth Fairy sat next to Jenna on the bed. "I think you look really pretty!"

Jenna nodded. "It looks good, even with the pants."

I placed my hands defensively on my hips. "The pants are a necessity if I'm going to wear a dress. I fly, remember? Leave the pants alone." I toyed with a fold of the rich, mist-like material. "So other than that, it's okay?"

Tooth nodded. "Yes, it looks wonderf—,"

There was a smell of burning ozone, like lightning, and an inferno opened up in the corner of the room, spitting out Trick before swallowing itself up. Emmy ducked behind the dressing screen and glared daggers at him, not entirely unforgivable, considering the last time that they had met. By the look on Jenna's face, I wondered if she would manage to hold up until tonight. It would suck for her to miss her favorite holiday.

Trick marched across the room towards me, looking exasperated. "Wisp, _leannán_, I need you to take 'Rina over for a while."

Tooth looked like she was trying to freeze Trick with her mind. "_You_."

He looked over at the peeved fairy absently, and I watched his eyes grow large with surprise. "Tooth! How've you been?" He took more interest in his surroundings, turning in a quick circle. "Where _are_ we, _mo ghrá_?"

I didn't waste time asking him what he was calling me this time, instead redirecting him back to the main point. "North's place. Now, you need me?"

"Always." He winked. "But right now, I _need_ you to convince the little lass to stay with you so I can get this holiday rolling."

I frowned. "Why, what's the matter?"

Trick threw his gloved hands up in the air. "She keeps stashing things she finds interesting where I stash my tricks! Her fecking _hair_ keeps incinerating my sweet supply! How am I supposed to do my job when I have to stop every five seconds to put out a fire?!"

"Hey, hey, calm down!" I said, ducking to avoid the fire that spat from his eyes the more agitated he got.

He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he took slow, shaky breaths. "I do love her, but damn it all, half the world should have experienced my trick-fire by now."

I scowled at him as I straightened, reaching out a hand and tapping the intricately carved mask he wore over the trick-fired side of his face. "Don't use too much of that fire, okay?"

His hand shifted to hold mine, his eyes smoldering as he opened them. "_Mo_ _chroí_…."

North exploded into the room, swords drawn, and we burst apart, my cheeks blazing as I realized how close we'd been standing. "Who is here? Intruder?" his gaze settled on Trick, and his threatening posture relaxed. He sheathed his blades, straightening to his full height in time for Emmy to hurtle herself into his arms, still glaring at the spirit of Halloween. "Trick! I have not seen _you_ in long time."

"Hello, North!" Trick greeted amicably, removing his lantern from where it dangled at his hip. "It's just me. I'm heading out now, anyway—busy days to come." He pecked me on the cheek as he passed, leaving a tingling feeling in his wake, and with a wink disappeared in a ball of fire.

North shifted Emmy over to his other arm, bouncing her a bit. "That was…strange. Anyway, Wispy, I need to see you for a moment." He murmured something to Emmy, who nodded and hopped out of his arms, and I followed the big man into the hall. He stopped when we were at the platform closest to the globe, Manny gone from his window. His face was serious, but curious, as he turned to me. "What has happened to the ice on your neck?"

I reached up, surprised to feel no ice on my neck under my fingers. What…? "Oh! It must've happened when Trick reignited me." I thought out loud, rubbing a bit at the now ice-free area.

North's normally wide blue eyes narrowed. "Why did you need to be reignited? What happened?"

"It's not a big deal, really!"

"Reignition is _very_ big deal, Wispy!" North fired back, looking concerned. "_What_ _happened_?"

I sighed heavily. "I fell in the river with my fire out and got kind of…extinguished." I admitted, finishing lamely.

"Define '_kind_-_of_ extinguished'." I jumped at the new voice, turning to see Jack Frost chilling in the doorway next to a worried Tooth. "And how could _you_ fall?"

"_That's_ why you needed a new outfit?" Tooth asked, voice sounding higher with the stress.

I blinked, looking at her. "Yeah, why else would I need a new dress?"

The fairy shrugged, her jewel-toned wings fluttering a bit. "I thought you had a date or something."

"Date?" Jack's gaze flicked between Tooth and me, like he wasn't sure how we got on this topic.

North stepped up until he was towering over me, even while I floated. "Did you really fall?"

"…No." I sighed, tapping my fingertips together. "Yes. It's hard to explain. I jumped, really, but then I got so freaked out that I couldn't fly back out, so I fell in the water and—," I stopped myself, hesitant to bring up Pitch in front of anyone but North.

North nodded, understanding why I wouldn't continue. "I see. Well, no more jumping near rivers, okay Wispy?" he added, trying to make the tension in the air lighter. Leaning down to clap me on the back, he murmured, "We will finish talking about this later, yes?"

I nodded, quietly thanking him as he moved on to lecture Jack about freezing several of his elves while Tooth couldn't seem to be able to keep her fingers out of Jack's mouth, squealing about how perfect they were.

"Cool, guess I'm off the hook." I said satisfactorily to myself, heading back to my room. The halls were dimly lit at best, brightened only a bit by the mild, content glow I gave off.

**A/N: Okay, there's your chapter! Hope you all like it! PLEASE review—it's what makes long chapters like this one ^_^ Oh, before I forget, I'm trying out the poll feature on here, so if you could go to my profile and check it out, that'd be cool. I might do more polls if this one turns out well.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey guys! Soooo I don't know if you're aware of this, but this Fanfiction is insanely close to 100 reviews. If we reach that, I might have to do special little bonus chapters because I'll be so happy…just saying. ;)**

**A/N 2: Thank you to my new favoriters/followers, especially to my reviewers: Starcrier, AtomicFacePalm666, OhMeOhMy, Moonpie (Trick's many new nicknames for Wisp were in Irish, according to Google Translate), maegirl, HaleyJo, Tragically Humorous, Random Reader, and SunnyStarr. You are all amazing, seriously. Anyway, here goes Chapter 15! Also, I own naught but my OCs and my plot!**

The hall was still, quiet save for the dull sounds of the yetis working away at the toys in preparation of Christmas as they reverberated through the thick walls. I scowled a bit at the feeling of the frozen stone floor beneath my bare feet, hugging myself as I shivered from the chill. Walking in itself was strange to me now, since I'd started defying gravity; walking barefoot, without the added inch from my boots, was even weirder. I hopped up into the air's waiting arms and sighed, missing my ruined boots. Honestly, of all the things for Tooth _not_ to have brought, why footwear?

I rolled in midair over onto my back, continuing down the hallway with a soft sigh, and tried to ignore the incessant tugging of my curiosity. I failed, giving in to the overwhelming flood of questions as it washed over me. What was I even doing, not just as a being but by bouncing between the two blatant sides of Pitch and the Guardians' conflict? I chewed the inside of my cheek, thinking. Even though North seemed pretty okay with the shocking amount of time I spent with Pitch, I doubted that the other Guardians would be as chill if they found out. All of this tension was bound to come to a head at some point, I knew; what would I do when that time came?

_That's not bound to happen very soon. I think the more immediate question is, what will you do about Pitch and Trick?_ Asked the little voice of my conscience.

I brushed the thought aside even as I felt the heat pool in my cheeks._ There's nothing _to _do; Pitch is just teasing me to get under my skin and Trick is…Trick. He's probably just a burning, more exclusive version of Jack Harkness. _

_If that were the case, then wouldn't he have gone for Tooth when he first showed up tonight?_

I cleared my throat, refusing to answer the question with much more than a simple, _No one asked you._

"Do you often mumble to yourself, Wispy?" I jolted upright in time for my head to crack against the wall, snapping out of my mental conversation at the sound of North's voice. I turned to face him, rubbing my head sheepishly.

"I was mumbling?"

The big man chuckled, motioning for me to follow him. "Walk with me, Wispy. I would like to hear what _really_ happened with… him." He ended, seeming to think it would be best not to say Pitch's name when someone could be listening in. I obeyed, walking along with him a few inches above the chilly floor, fingers absently toying with the folds in the mist-like skirt of my dress.

I sighed lightly. "It really was an accident, honest." One of North's bushy brows quirked up in disbelief as he waited for me to continue. "We were at the guardrail where I first… anyway, Pitch was being weirdly pushy and it made me mad, so I jumped, thinking 'Hey, no big deal, I'll just fly away'."

"I take it this did not happen?" North asked.

I shook my head. "Nope. I fell all the way down into the river. My fire was out when I hit the water, and it ended up putting me out." I paused, taking a deep breath. "Pitch was the one who fished me out of the river and sent for Trick."

North's blue eyes were enormous with surprise as we continued on, mulling it over. "_Pitch_ saved you? _And_ called for Trick?"

Curious, I peered up at North's face, trying to read his expression. "Yeah, he figured Trick could help, probably because Trick is the closest to being like me…. Why do you ask?"

"Pitch is not what I would call 'good guy'. I've known him for long time, Wispy. Hmmmm," North's eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to him. "Pitch and Trick getting along is one thing, but actually _working_ _together_…."

I bit my bottom lip, following along the same train of thought. Pitch and Trick had been awfully chummy, and with Pitch's ominous little slips that he was up to something, and Trick's 'preparations', it did seem to point towards them being up to something. 'Business partners', I remembered Pitch referring to their relationship. But if Pitch was as bad as the Guardians made him out to be, what was he planning this time? And why wouldn't he tell me?

North's enormous hand clapped down on my shoulder, making me jump, and his smile surprised me. It was full of confidence, cheer even. "It is no matter."

"What do you mean, 'it is no matter'?" I sputtered, mimicking his thick accent as I hurried to catch up to where he waited patiently at the end of the hall. "Aren't you worried?!"

North's rumbling laugh echoed through the hall. "What good is it to worry, Wispy? Pitch will do as he likes, and we will be ready, just like last time. No, main thing is that you are okay. Now, stop with the scowling and let's get back to your sisters." I stared at the back of his balding head, disbelieving that he could be so okay with the fact that there was someone out there plotting against him. _Whatever floats your boat, old man._ I smirked, shaking my head, before floating along after him. A companionable silence descended on us for the rest of our walk.

When we came close to the door to my guest room, North stopped, settling his hands on my shoulders and staring sternly into my eyes. In his gaze I could see that even through the optimism he had tried to instill me with, he too was worried about whatever it was Pitch and Trick had in store for us. "You must remember to be more careful, not just around Pitch. Okay Wispy?"

"I know, I know, they're not the 'good guys'." North waited, scowling a bit at my unconcerned tone. His brow pinched with concern. "I really _will_ be careful, okay? Promise." I gave him my best reassuring smile, and it seemed to appease him, as he smiled back and let me go to open the door. He even laughed again as Emmy threw herself at him, wrapping her small arms around his thick neck.

"Myra!" Jenna bolted up from her seat as I entered the room, looking almost relieved. Hesitantly at first she took a few slow steps toward me, tripping over one of the rugs as she hurried over to me, hugging me tightly.

I smiled softly, hugging her back with a little laugh. "Hey Jen, what's the matter? Did you miss me or something?"

She shook her head, pulling back from me to clasp her hands together, grinning. "I just, I still can't believe it. That you're _really_ here, I mean, and not as a ghost or something like that."

I quirked an eyebrow at her and tried to fight a smile from curling the corners of my lips. "Maybe you should lay off the _Supernatural_."

"You're the one who got me hooked on it!" She shrugged defensively, smirking. "Besides, you didn't seem to mind when you'd watch it with me, though you might've been just too busy drooling over Dean." She teased.

The smile burst free as I playfully punched her arm. "Brat! You weren't supposed to talk about that!"

Tooth smiled at our antics from where she perched on the bed. "Silly girls, take it easy with the punches! I'd hate to see something bad happen to those lovely teeth of yours!"

"Yes ma'am." I snickered, pushing Jenna lightly as she echoed me.

Jenna's eyes suddenly widened, as if in realization of what day it was. "Oh. My. God."

"What?" Emmy asked from where she reclined against the pillows, toying delicately with the wings of a Baby Tooth. "What's the matter?"

"It's Halloween." Jenna whispered, a fire building behind her eyes in her excitement. "IT'S HALLOWEEN!" She crowed, punching her fist in the air. I laughed as she rushed towards me, clenching my glowing shoulders in her comparatively dull fingers. "We're missing Halloween!"

I laughed, prying away her hands in their bruising grip. "I have it on good authority that the Halloween festivities don't really start until the sun sets."

"You're _wrong_!" Jenna groaned, shaking me. "It takes _all_ _day_ to really celebrate it properly! We have to get_ into the spirit_! C'mon, let's go home!" She switched her hold for my wrist and began tugging me towards the door, much to the amusement of everyone else.

"Alright, alright." I snickered, looking pleadingly to North. "You wouldn't happen to have one of those snow globe grenades on you, would you?"

North scowled. "Is not grenade—,"

"I'm teasing, North." I smiled.

He grinned back. "Of course you are. But! It would seem I left it on my work table in my office." He shrugged apologetically, patting the girth of his empty cummerbund.

"I'll go get it." I offered, heading towards the door. "Be right back!" I shut the door quietly behind me after admitting a treat-laden elf, giggling when I heard Jenna begin to lecture it about how the treats were not proper for the holiday.

North's office was almost eerie when empty, the ice reflecting my light back at me and illuminating the room in its entirety. It shimmered off the curved surface of the snow globe where it sat nestled amidst North's various picks and things. I let out a pleased sound, happy that I didn't have to go hunting through the room to find it, and hopped neatly over the table separating me from the sphere. I picked it up slowly, careful not to shake it or jostle it too much as I wiped a few ice chips from its side. Satisfied, I turned to leave and practically jumped out of my skin when I saw Jack leaning against his staff in the doorway.

"Scare me half to death, why don't you?!" I gasped, pressing the hand that wasn't grasping the snow globe to my heart as if to calm its thundering.

He chuckled and maintained his position as I approached, not moving even when I was but a few inches from him. "Well, it _is_ in spirit of the holiday."

I raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. "…You going to move?"

Jack's normally amused expression hardened, sobering up, as he straightened, still blocking my path. "I just wanted to talk."

I shifted the snow globe to my other hand. "I'm kind of in a hurry—,"

"I know, and that's while I'll make it quick." Jack smirked before becoming sullen again. "Pitch might've saved you once, but don't mistake him for a good man. He might tell you he's just lonely or whatever, but he won't be satisfied until the Guardians are gone and he has every kid out there quaking in fear." Slinging his staff across his shoulders, he took three steps towards the railing and hopped off, leaving me alone in my stunned silence.

I pursed my lips, my brows pinching together, and let out all of my breath in a heavy sigh. "I already knew that, jerk." _Still, he didn't have to say it that way, like I'm some naive moron._ I thought grumpily as I closed the door behind me and headed back towards my room, my light flickering with my annoyance and unease. I managed to get it under control by the time I walked through my door, mustering up a smile. "I found it!"

"Took you long enough!" Jenna grumbled, ripping it from my grasp and turning it over and over in her hands. "How does this thing work? Is there a switch or something?"

Emmy jumped down from the bed and snatched it from Jenna, peering into it with her nose pressed to the glass. "This snow globe doesn't have anything in it! Just snow!"

North ruffled her hair with a laugh, gently taking it from her. "That is because you have not said where you want to go." As an example, he murmured softly to it, shaking it up, and pitched it across the room, where it exploded into a whirl of color before showing an image of my old house, dimly illuminated by the first rays of dawn. Jenna gasped, eyes wide with wonder, while Emmy grinned from ear to ear and clapped her hands in delight.

"C'mon, Jenna!" Emmy giggled, taking Jenna's hand in one of hers and skipping towards the portal.

I turned before following my sisters and smiled at North and Tooth. "Thanks for everything."

Tooth waved my thanks and gave me a sunny smile, her amethyst eyes glittering. "Oh, we didn't do much. Go have fun with your sisters—and make sure they brush their teeth very well tonight!" she added as I stepped into the portal.

When I came through on the other side Emmy and Jenna were already almost to the door, and I rushed to catch up to them, alighting on the front steps just as they went through the door, tip-toeing quietly. They crept slowly up the stairs in case Mom had gotten home early before splitting towards their respective rooms; Jenna to prepare for the rest of the day, and Emmy for some sleep, if the circles under her eyes and the way she dragged her feet were any indication.

Jenna held the door open for me as I wandered in, my toes barely touching the carpet. "You wouldn't happen to have any of my old boots, would you?" I asked, curious, and perched on top of her shorter book case, swinging my socked feet lightly. "Or an extra pair of socks?"

"SHHHHH!" Jenna shushed me, eyes wide as she poked her head into the hallway, casting a furtive glance in the direction of Mom's room. "Do you want Mom to hear you?!"

I shifted a bit on my impromptu bench, rolling my eyes. "Relax. It's not like Mom can see me. Or hear me, or touch me."

Jenna frowned, shutting the door again with a soft click before flopping down on her bed. "Why's that?"

"The same reason why you couldn't see me. She doesn't believe in me." I shrugged, like it was no big deal. "Anyway, about those boots?"

Jenna had been staring at me, her expression unreadable; she shook herself and gave me a shy smile. "Right. Which pair do you want?"

My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline. "How many of them did you take?"

Rising slowly, my younger sister strolled over to her closet and proudly displayed almost every pair of boots I had owned, save the pair that had been so recently destroyed. "What?" Jenna asked, puffing up under my scrutinizing gaze. "It's not like I thought you'd come back for them, and you had such good taste in boots. I couldn't let them go to waste."

I chuckled. "Okay, fair enough. But I'm taking _this_ pair back." I said, tugging on my tall black boots over the thin pants I wore and pulling the ties tight. My bioluminescence reflected richly off of the leather, and I smiled, feeling infinitely better.

Jenna pouted a bit. "That pair was my favorite."

I wrinkled my nose tauntingly at her. "Eleven year-olds don't need to wear high-heeled boots anyway."

Jenna scowled at me, her brow pinching in confusion. "Myra?"

"Hmm?"

She swallowed hard, then again, before speaking. "I'm practically thirteen now."

My head snapped up from where I'd been fiddling with the ties, and for the first time I really _looked_ at Jenna. Her face had slimmed down a bit, her jaw a little more pronounced, and the barest hint of eyeliner made her storm cloud-colored eyes stand out in her pale face. On further inspection, I noticed that one of my t-shirts, which she wouldn't have been able to wear without looking silly an apparent one and a half years ago, now fit snugly on her taller frame, her hips wider.

I worked my mouth a bit, trying to make words come out. "But, that would make Emmy almost _ten_!"

Jenna slung an arm around my shoulder with a lopsided smile. "It's okay, we forgive you for missing our birthdays. It just means you'll really have to make it up to us this year."

Her attempt at levity made me sink further into depression; my hair became a heavy weight down my back, and I slipped to a crouch on the ground as my light dimmed. My fingers clenched at the roots of my hair, nails digging into my scalp as the realization hit me. I'd been in that river for almost _two_ _freaking years_.

"I'm sorry." I croaked, meeting Jenna's gaze with mine as she kneeled down in front of me. "I am so, so sorry."

Jenna shook her head. "_Stupid_. We don't blame _you_. It's not your fault that you pulled a Humpty Dumpty. Anyway, you're here now, and that's all that matters. And since you're _here_—," Jenna bounded up to her feet and disappeared into her closet, where she started flinging out several different costumes onto her bed, "you can help me pick out what to be this year!"

* * *

The sun was just starting to set when I put the finishing touches on Jenna's costume. She looked positively radiant as she did a little twirl in the square space in her room, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh my gosh, this is the best costume for sure! ... What am I supposed to be, again?"

I scowled down at her from where I literally hovered over her, spraying her jelled hair down with a ridiculous amount of super-hold hairspray as I fixed it. "What are you talking about? _You're_ the one who said you wanted to be Paine from Final Fantasy X-2. I'm just helping you look the part."

Jenna let out an excited squeal, making me hit myself in the nose with the hairspray can when she did another twirl. "I know, and it looks fantastic!" She gave a dreamy sigh, fussing with her belts, and her kohl-lined eyes sparkled like she was insane. "I made it myself and everything! All that work was _totally_ worth it!"

I smiled as I rubbed my now tender nose, glad to see her so happy. "Yes, you did a phenomenal job. You ready to go now?"

She nodded emphatically as she nearly sprinted for the door. "I was _born_ ready!"

Chuckling, I set the can down on her packed desk and left the room. My grin warmed when I saw Lasarina hovering by Emmy, who was ready and waiting at the top of the stairs, looking absolutely precious as a Renaissance noblewoman. I knelt down next to her, adjusting her golden circlet. "You look so _pretty_, Emmy!"

She fussed with the dark red satin of her costume, smiling happily. "We almost match!"

"We sure do, kiddo." I tucked a stray lock of hair back into the plait that ran halfway down her back, feeling sad. How had I not noticed how much they'd changed? "Hey, remember, though—no talking to me when Mom is around, okay?"

Emmy nodded, swinging her pink jack'o'lantern-shaped candy bucket around. "I'm glad you're here this year." She whispered as Mom's bedroom door opened down the hall.

I gave her hand a squeeze. "Me too, kiddo. Me too." My head jerked around as a shadow flashed past the large picture window over the stairs. "I've got to go see about something real quick, but I'll meet up with you guys soon, okay? Watch Rina for me?"

"Okay. Be careful." She murmured before starting down the stairs with the little fire sprite and Mom. I gave her back a thumbs-up before turning to leave through her open window. She should really shut it when the house was going to be left empty.

I lowered the window softly, so as not to alert anyone, and went hunting in the direction of the shadow. The night air was soft against my arms and face, the wind carrying just the barest hint of a chill—the perfect weather for a Halloween night. I flew up to the roof, peering into the settling darkness until I spotted it.

Instantly, my mood darkened. "Hello, devil horse." I greeted it drily, approaching the yellow-eyed mare slowly. "Am I supposed to follow you?"

"Traditionally, one would assume they were to ride the horse instead of insult and interrogate it." Chuckled a rich voice from behind me.

"Pitch," I greeted cordially, ignoring the small shiver that had travelled down my spine. I turned to see him step from a shadow between two planes of the roof, smiling lightly. "I don't remember insulting the Nightmare."

He quirked an eyebrow at me. "'Devil horse' wasn't an insult?"

"No; it was a fact."

He hummed low in the back of his throat, smile broadening. "One bad experience with a horse and you write it off as evil? For all you know, this could be a completely different mare from the other."

I placed my hands on my hips, eyeing him warily. "Is it?"

He shrugged, as if to say _hell if I know_. "Does it matter?"

"I suppose not." I crossed my arms over my chest, watching him as he paced over towards the horse. "Was there a reason you came here, or did you really just want to make idle chit-chat?"

He looked off to the side, almost coming off as awkward, which made me raise my eyebrows in surprise. "I just thought I could make up for earlier."

_Which do you mean; for letting me jump off of a bridge, or for terrorizing me? _I smirked a little. "How's that?"

His gaze returned to mine, and he patted the horse's back. "Hop on and you'll find out." He swung up onto it, cantering over to where I stood, and held out a hand. "Well?"

**A/N: There's your chapter! Please review!**


	16. BONUS

**A/N: Okay, let me start out by saying that this shouldn't really be considered a **_**chapter**_** because it's not part of the plotline, really. It's more like it's just a little moment that **_**could**_** have been, but never really worked out. If it HAD to take place in the story, it'd have to be in an alternate timeline in which Wisp took Trick up on his offer as a lifeguard. **

**Sorry you couldn't get this sooner; work's been crazy. Anyway, here you go—enjoy!**

_BONUS #1: Scalliwag  
**hint: the song "Scalliwag" by Gaelic Storm was a __**huge**__ influence for this chapter. That's actually what Trick is quoting later…just saying._

We emerged from the roaring inferno of Trick's lantern in an environment much warmer and humid than what I was used to, my hair twisting and curling in the air's excessive moisture. I took one look at the deep green-blue water of the hidden lagoon where it pooled far, far below me, and looked back to Trick in his pirate-like attire. The outfit should've told me he was up to something, honestly. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

He cocked his head at me, causing the tall black plume in his pirate's hat to ruffle in the light breeze. His eyes widened in pretend surprise, but I saw the smile twitching to grow at the corners of his lips. "Whatever do you mean, _leannán_?"

Crossing my arms over my chest, I quirked an eyebrow at him to let him know I wasn't buying it. "Don't '_leannán'_ me. You know full well what I mean. That drop is about the same as the one from my guardrail, and we all know how well that turned out."

"You can fly. Besides, that's why I'm here, isn't it?" He pointed out, looking smug.

I poked him in the chest, trying not to blush when it made contact with his skin thanks to his loose black shirt. "The water will put me out, just like last time!"

Trick rolled his eyes. "We've been over this already, _mo ghrá_. Just try to keep that wonderful temper of yours under control, and your fire should stay inside."

I hated that he had a point. What was worse, he knew he'd won, too, it was plain to see from the triumphant smirk on his lips. I blew a strand of twinkling hair from my eyes, grumbling quietly to myself as I paced a few feet away from him.

"If it's about your lack of proper aquatic dress," he called after me, smirking a bit at the flush creeping up my throat and motioning to my lack of bathing suit, "I can take care of that."

"How so? Do you have a surplus of women's costumes too?" I joked, casting a glance at him over my shoulder.

I immediately whipped my head back around, my light intensifying with my embarrassment, at the sight of Trick's bare back and shoulders as he stripped off his shirt, his hat resting on a nearby rock with his lantern. His back, like his left arm, was covered almost entirely in knot work, most of it in blue and green with the faintest hints of violet. He used his trick-fire more often than I had originally thought.

I tried to catch another glimpse from my peripheral vision, but all I caught was his shirt with my face, making him laugh. I reached a hand up to pull the silky fabric from my head, managing to get it just past my eyes, and jumped with a gasp when I realized how close Trick had moved. His lips lifted in a crooked grin as I gave him a weak shove, blushing furiously, and tried to back out of his closing embrace. "What the hell are you _doing_?" I tried not to wince at how shaky my voice came out as I stumbled backwards from him. "How do you expect me to change if you're _right_ _there_?! Go stand over there." I ordered, flustered, and waved a flickering hand in the direction of the opposite side of the lagoon from where we stood.

His eyes smoldered into mine as he chuckled before relenting, hands held up in mock surrender, and started to strut away from me, the worn leather of his boots glowing warmly in the dying rays of sunlight that filtered through the trees. I quickly darted into the tree line, floating just out of reach of the dense foliage that cluttered the loamy earth. I shucked off my boots, tossing them back from whence I came with my socks stuffed inside of them, and struggled with the laces of my dress, cursing lightly under my breath at each knot. It slid free, and I wasted no time pulling Trick's shirt over my head.

I marveled at how giant it was on me, realizing how well he must've filled it out. It fell almost to my knees, and I had to roll up the sleeves that ended well past my fingertips, tightening the tie at the neck to secure the shirt above my shoulders. The shirt was hot, as if fresh from a dryer, and after a moment's hesitation, I slipped off my tights, too, sweat already beading along my brow and upper lip. I reemerged from the jungle, draping the dress and pants over a low branch before floating over to where Trick sat on the edge of a cliff-like outcropping, legs swinging in the air, his boots resting off to the side. His deep, throaty humming resounded through the air between us. "Where are we, anyway?" I asked as I got closer, peering into the dense plant life that surrounded us.

"Does it matter?" He squinted up at me playfully before reaching up, fingers wrapping around my wrist. "'Come on and wade way out into the water with me, jump in and take my hand.'" He grinned devilishly before pushing the rest of the way off of the edge, dragging me down with him. I let out a surprised screech, squeezing my eyes closed just before we hit the water.

I gasped from the impact, swallowing a mouthful of briny water. Bubbles exploded around us from our plummet, so I felt more than saw Trick pull me close and haul me up to the surface. I coughed and spluttered when the open air hit my face, gasping for oxygen.

Trick looked down at me with a bemused scowl. "Silly lass, don't you know how to swim?"

I shoved a wet mass of my hair out of my face so he could see my glare. "Of course I do! I just wasn't expecting to be pulled down here so fast!" I put a hand to my heart as it thrashed about in my chest, trying to calm it down. "God, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

To take my mind off of it, I looked around us, and felt my jaw slacken a bit at the beauty that filled the secluded space: the water around us was rich with the colors of the dying sun, shimmering off of vibrant coral growing along the bottom of the lagoon, vines full to bursting with brilliant flowers creeped and stretched along the cliff-sides. The water was warm, like bathwater, a few degrees warmer than the breeze that brushed my cheek as I twisted around in a half-circle to take it all in. When I turned back to Trick, he was looking at me instead of the scenery, the fire in his eyes rich and deep.

I grasped for a topic of conversation to try and eliminate the strange, electrically charged silence between us as I swam a bit away. "So, why a pirate today? Are we going treasure hunting later?"

"I don't see why not." He smiled, lounging back.

I wrinkled my nose at him tauntingly with a laugh. "Because you don't have a whole room of it back at your place, right?" I teased, imagining a cavern filled with gold and jewels with candy wrappers littering the floor.

"'I've never had a fortune, not a penny will you find, you're my one and only treasure you can leave all the rest behind'." He sang softly with a quiet smile, eyes drifting closed as he floated, arms behind his head.

"Ha ha." I dove under the water so he wouldn't see my blush, careful not to touch the coral, and startled a school of bright blue and orange fish into action. I waited, holding my breath, until I was sure my face had gone back to normal, and kicked back up to the surface. Wiping my eyes, I looked around, frowning when I didn't see Trick. "Trick?"

The water rippled around me as I thrashed, searching for him. "Trick! Where'd you go _now_?!" My hair flowed out in my wake as I swam towards where he'd last been, and I scanned the seabed through the tiny obstructive waves, making out his form just resting there. My heart threatened to stop completely before kicking into high gear, and I dove down, wrapping my arms around one of his thick arms and struggling to tug him up to the darkening surface. We broke free, and when he didn't immediately start gulping down air, I became more panicked, towing him toward the pale, glittering slip of a shore. When the water grew shallow enough that I had to walk, I dragged him, ripping him out of the reach of the encroaching tide.

"Damn it, Trick! _You_ were supposed to be the one to play lifeguard, remember?" I snapped, voice wavering a bit with fear. I dropped down beside him in the sugar-white sand and tried to remember the CPR lesson we had been given in Health class when I was human. I tilted his head back, shuddering at the way his jaw slacked open a bit. Ignoring the chilled breeze as it crawled over my damp skin, I placed my hands, one over the other, at the bottom of his ribcage and pushed with all of my body weight several times before leaning over and pinching his nose closed. Barely hesitating, I placed my mouth over his and blew, forcing oxygen to fill his lungs.

I fell backwards as Trick jolted into an upright position, scraping my elbow on a half-buried seashell. He looked over at me blearily, as if not quite sure where he was or why he was here. "…Wisp?"

I kicked at his side, feeling relief wash over me. "You jerk! Don't you _dare_ scare me like that!"

He brushed confusedly at the sand caked in his brilliant hair, making it stick out in all directions and still looking half out of it. "What are you talking about? I was just taking a nap!"

"With the fishes!" I quipped.

Comprehension illuminated his face, and he laughed, the fire in his eyes sparking mischievously. "Oh, _leannán_, were you worried I'd drowned?"

I didn't think that question was worthy of an answer. I clenched my teeth together, flopping onto my back to glare up at the stars, mindful of the offensive seashell. My anger quickly cooled, though, mostly in part due to the sound of the waves and the clarity of the night sky. My eyes widened as I tried to take it all in at once. I'd never seen so many stars. It was so gorgeous, so amazing; my hair, pooled around me like a twinkling oil spill, looked like nothing compared to the sky's magnificence. "Oh, _wow_…."

Trick's body fell beside me as he tried to get the same view, his arm brushing mine through the thin material of the shirt. "Amazing, isn't it?"

I nodded mutely, feeling like this view would be seared into the backs of my eyelids for a _long_ time. My heart stuttered as Trick tried to weave his fingers through mine, and I pulled my hand away to rest on my stomach. I was filled with the sudden, undeniable urge to go flying through that sky, to see if its wind felt as heavenly as it looked—my body floated a few feet off of the sand just at the thought.

Trick sat up with a sigh, giving me a tired smile. "Guess we should be heading back, yeah?"

"Oh," I tried not to let the devastating disappointment show on my face as I settled on my feet, "I suppose."

He stood up, scratching the back of his neck thoughtfully as he eyed the trek back to the lantern. "'Course, would be easier if we both could just _fly_ back…." He let the thought trail off, flicking me a glance out of the corner of his eye.

I felt my mood visibly brighten, and I whirled on him, peering up at him hopefully. "Can we?"

"Sure, _you_ can." He said with a smirk, the barest hint of jealously leaking into his voice. "I'll have to take the lower road."

I ignored his sulky tone. "We can make it a race." I offered. "First one to the lantern wins."

The fire in his eyes flared with interest. "Wins what? What'll the reward be?"

I thought for a second. "If I win, you show me the room full of treasure I know you _have_ to have."

"And what if I win?"

"Whatever, I guess. Either way, you'll have to win, first!" I said, raising my eyebrows challengingly, though honestly I had no clue what he'd ask for.

I jumped up into the air, soaring up and up towards the shimmering heavens, thinking that I had a head-start on Trick…until I alighted on the edge of the cliff to see Trick practically hopping in excitement. I blinked owlishly at him, uncomprehending how he could've beaten me. He grinned wickedly in response, jogging over to me and pulling me close in my dumbfounded stupor. "I win!"

"_How_?"

He shrugged. "I run fast; don't you remember chasing me down that first night?" I closed my eyes, sighing heavily at my own foolishness with a nod. "_Anyway_, I believe I was promised 'whatever' as my prize? I'll just take _this_." He leaned into me, pressing his lips to the corner of my mouth, and smiled contentedly.

"…That's it?"

His sharp grin glinted in the moonlight. "Is that an invitation?"

I threw up my hands like a barrier between us. "Nope!"

"Didn't think so." He chuckled. "Still, it doesn't seem right. You should get something, too. What do you want? 'I'll give you the heavens, the stars in the sky—',"

"I _want_ to go change into some dry clothes." I interrupted, smirking wryly.

He shrugged. "Fair enough."

I gently broke free of him, headed back towards where I'd left my drier clothes, and tried not to hink of how he'd tasted like burnt sugar.

**A/N: So there's the bonus chapter I promised ^_^ You'll get the other chapter (the one actually related to the storyline) soon, I promise. Please review!**


	17. Chapter 17, even though it's actually 16

**A/N: Now for the chapter that's actually part of the storyline! Welcome and thank you to my new favoriters/followers, and thank you to those who reviewed on my little bonus chapter: Starcrier, Random reader, somekindofzombie, Tragically Humorous, and Cuckoo on a String. I own naught but the plot and my OCs. Read and enjoy!**

I eyed the hand warily, like it was a cobra. I _could_ go with him, but who knew what kind of fiasco that could end in? We didn't exactly have the best of track records when it came to this kind of thing. Besides, Emmy and Jenna would be worried if I took too long, and time had a habit of escaping me whenever I was with him.

Pitch seemed to sense my indecision and unease. "You'll never know what I'm up to unless you come with me." He murmured, knowingly using my curiosity against me.

I sighed internally as I put my hand in his, the air giving me a gentle boost to help me get on the beast's back behind him. My arms hesitantly wrapped around his waist, clenching tighter when he suddenly spurred the creature into motion, my heartbeat racing to match the horse's speed as I pressed closer, burying my face in his shoulder. His laugh mixed with the rushing wind, the mare bucking and shifting beneath us, making me anxious.

"Where are we going?" I yelled so he could hear me over the wind.

"It's a surprise!" He yelled back, giving me a look from the corner of his eye. I grumbled at him, muttering for him to pay attention to the stupid horse, which made him laugh more. I squeezed my eyes shut, fisting my hands in the front of his coat in a white-knuckled death grip. I'd be _damned_ before I would fall off one of his demonic horses again.

The dull roar of passing air died down in my ears, my hair settling in a tangled mess in the air around me as I opened my eyes to see why and where we'd stopped. The Nightmare snorted loudly, tossing its gritty, dark head, yellow eyes glinting maliciously in the dim light, and stomped at the ground. My brow furrowed in my confusion, my arms falling free from Pitch as I sat up to try to make sense of where we were.

What seemed like the beginning of dew made the grass glisten richly in my bioluminescence where it covered the tall hill before it could drop into a cliff, the base of the hill walled in by a dense forest. I slid from the horse's back, taking my skirts in my hands as I jogged through the air to the hill's crest, my slight train dragging along the tips of the grass blades. My air left me in a soft sigh, eyes widening to take in the view, as I looked out on the lake. The stars reflected in its flat, mirror-like surface; it was so dark here, I couldn't tell where the water ended and the sky began. I turned back to Pitch, confused, and it must've showed on my face. Pitch slid free from the mare, patting her neck before she tore off into the night, and strode slowly over to where I stood.

"Where are we?" I asked quietly, turning back to the lake in time to see a shooting star, its path mirrored by its reflection until it disappeared into the dark.

I could hear the smile in his voice when he answered, "A secret place." I shivered as he stepped closer to me, the fear that followed him increased by the holiday as it prodded at me.

"It's beautiful." I whispered, hugging myself and chafing my hands along my arms.

Pitch hummed low in his throat, pleased. "I thought you'd like it. Are you cold?" he asked after a moment in silence.

"A little, but I'm okay." I turned halfway to Pitch when I heard him chuckle. "What is it?"

He shook his head, smiling crookedly. "It's nothing. It's just…you amaze me sometimes."

My breath caught in my throat, my ribcage suddenly too tight around my lungs, and felt my face warm. "What are you talking about?" I asked, laughing lightly halfway through, and hopped down the ridge to stand at the lake's shore.

"For starters, there's the fact that you won't willingly ask for or accept help, from anyone. You had to be _dying_ for you to even need anyone else; you're too self-sufficient. You're loyal to a fault. I haven't even mentioned your ferocious temper, or how lovely you look tonight." He paced along the shore to my left, and I would've been surprised by the almost embarrassed look in his eyes were it not for the fact that I was too astounded by the words coming from his mouth.

I hid my smile behind a hand, assuming a pensive stance. "Careful, those sounded almost like compliments."

"As they should." He came to a stop just behind me, his hands loose around my upper arms. "The night's an amazing thing, isn't it?"

I blinked, taken aback by the abrupt change of subject. "It is. It's almost…_perfect_ here."

Pitch's chin rested on my shoulder. "It could be like this forever, you know."

"I don't understand." I said with a sigh that nearly resembled a growl.

Pitch sighed, too. "Perhaps this requires another perspective." The shadows around us folded in, swallowing us in one of Pitch's abyssal portals.

When we reemerged, I could make out the lights and shapes of a town a fair ways away. He hushed me when I opened my mouth to ask him what we were doing up there, turning me by my shoulders to face the little town. "Just close your eyes and listen. Tell me what you hear."

I blew a strand of hair from my face, frustrated, but complied, closing my eyes to the meager lights given off by the town. A soft, slightly chilled breeze ran along my arms and face, carrying with it the delighted, fright-laced shrieks and laughter of children, their giggles and screams fusing together until I couldn't tell them apart. In the distance I thought I could hear the barest whisper of rushing water, and I realized where we were. We were on the opposite side of the town, deep in the woods.

I opened my eyes, half turning to Pitch so I could look him in the eyes. "I hear kids laughing and screaming. What's this about?"

"Are they scared?" Pitch asked, ignoring my question.

I shifted a bit, uncertain of where he was going with this. "Maybe a little, yeah."

"Is their fear hurting them?" he paced around me slowly, dusk-colored gaze fixed on me

I scowled, turning so that he was always in my line of sight. "No…."I sighed, realizing he was just setting me up for another of his spiels. "Why don't you just tell me what you're up to?"

"This!" He flung his arms out to either side of himself to indicate the night as a whole. "_This_ is what I'm trying to achieve! Halloween night is the one night that children believe in anything and everything. What's so wrong about wanting it to be permanently like this, about that little undertone of fear running through the children?"

I gave him a disbelieving smirk. "You can't really expect me to believe that you would settle for equality after your grand spiel of how they've wronged you over the centuries."

His teeth glinted in the murkiness of the night. "Of course not, though even having to share the children with the Guardians would be better than my current pitiful circumstances."

The bubble of aggravation that had been steadily inside of me threatened to burst. My hands curled into tight fists. "What's the point of all of this? Why do you need all of these children to acknowledge you?!"

"We've been over this, Wisp." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I stalked after him as he started to pace away. "Yeah, we have, but I didn't understand your- your _obsession_ then, and I don't get it now." I reached out to grab him by the shoulder, ripping him around to face me. "If you won't tell me what you're up to, at least explain your reasoning!" We stood there, glaring at each other, for what felt like an eternity. The flames that had erupted along my arms died away, as did my light, and all that remained of my simmering rage was tiredness, with an undertone of foreboding.

"I just want the world to go back to the way it used to be. I want to actually _exist_ again. No more lurking, no more hiding." He finally admitted after several intense seconds of our stare-down. His gaze softened, his fingers tracing invisible designs on the backs of my hands as he tried to bring me down from my anger. "We can change it all, Wisp. We can make the world _ours_."

I bit the inside of my cheek. He was keeping something back, I could see it in his face, but something told me not to push it. I dropped my gaze from his, rubbing my hands across my eyes, and relented. "I don't _need_ the world. And what am I supposed to do to help? I don't want any part in this conflict. Just…let me be neutral, or something."

"I'm afraid that neutral parties never remain that way for long. You can let Jack Frost tell you all about that." My hands fell from my eyes at the feeling of Pitch's tracing their way along my neck to cup my face, making my heart stutter. "Darling girl, don't you know? You're already doing your part _splendidly_."

I placed a hand on his chest to stop him as his face grew closer. "What do you mean? _What_ have I done?"

"You used the Guardians' own tool against them. You gave them so much hope, making them believe that they stand a chance against the three of us, like we were no threat. They're overconfident now, and entirely unprepared for what's to come. What's more, that infernal Trickster is completely besotted with you." He relinquished his hold on my flabbergasted face to stroll a ways away while I floundered in my disbelief. "I had my doubts about him—he's just about as soft as the Guardians, honestly—but now he'll do just about anything, and it's all thanks to you."

I placed a hand to my throat, feeling almost sick. "What's Trick's part in this?"

"He's already begun." Pitch turned, smiling, and motioned to the town behind me. "See for yourself." He chuckled, before being consumed by the darkness.

I whirled around, eyes zeroing in on the cluster of lights deep in the forest.

My heart shuddered nearly to a stop. The area where the town should be was alive with blue, green and violet flames. "Oh…my…." My voice gave out as I stared on, feeling strangely distant. I could see that the fire wasn't actually incinerating the buildings; there was no smoke at all. But the children could see the flames, and they sounded terrified and confused. My heart lurched at the idea of Emmy and Jenna screaming for me, and I was zipping through the trees on a quick burst of wind.

I finally burst through the tree line what felt like hours later, the flames on my arms crackling as if in competition with the patches of trick-fire that littered the downtown area. Children clung to their parents as they walked along, some crying because they didn't know what was going on. I caught a few children staring at me, and I remembered Pitch mentioning how tonight was when kids believed in damn near everything. I shook my head quickly to clear my mind—I didn't have time for this. "_Trick_!" I yelled, hands cupped around my mouth to try to project the sound better over the sounds of both fire and children. "_TRICK_! Damn it, where _are_ you?!"

With a sound vaguely resembling a snarl I flung my hands down to my sides, earning wide-eyed _looks_ from my viewers. I flashed them a quick apologetic smile and a little wave before stalking through the square. The sharp, staccato click of my boots on the brick walkway rang out around me as I passed by pirates, fairies, witches and vampires that stared at the flames in awe and befuddlement as they were tugged along by their parents. I kept my eyes peeled for a flash of burgundy dress or pumpkin-orange hair as I stormed along past the trick-or-treaters and festively decorated storefronts.

"You're really pretty." A little girl dressed up as a cat looked up at me with admiration, lightly tugging on my skirts before I could pass by. "Are you a fairy?"

I blinked at her, shell-shocked a bit that the girl was talking to me. "Umm…kind of?" I shook the girl's hand, hers barely bigger than my palm. "I'm Will-o'-the-Wisp, but you can just call me Wisp."

The girl's mother chuckled down at her. "Aubrey, honey, who are you talking to?"

"Wisp. Can't you see her?" She turned a confused glance at her mother, who laughed and continued conversing with her friend, and I took that as my window of opportunity to slip away, only to have my dress caught in her fist again. "Hey! Where are you going?"

I turned back with a sigh. "I'm actually looking for someone. He's a large man, has bright orange hair, carries a lantern. He was probably playing tricks around here—a lot of them. Have you seen him?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.

To my surprise, the girl's head bobbed up and down eagerly. "I saw him, I saw him! He was talking with a girl in a _reeeeeally_ pretty red dress down that way." She pointed further down the road, luckily in the direction I was headed.

My mood perked a bit. "Did she have black hair and a pink treat basket?!"

Aubrey fed off of my excitement and multiplied it exponentially, hopping with her nods. "Yes, that's her!"

Relief flooded my system, tinged with anxiety. I gave the girl's hand a fierce squeeze, my fire twisting and growing with my accelerating pulse. "Thank you so much!" I beamed at her before releasing my grip on her hand and sprinting away in midair in the direction she'd pointed.

The road forked in two directions, and I chose neither, opting to leap up to the top of the corner building to look out from a higher vantage point. I focused on an area close to the fountain where I'd danced with Pitch, where the fire seemed to be growing. That _had_ to be Trick. I jumped from the building, following the air current between the buildings in that direction. Every now and then, I'd get too close to a patch of trick-fire, and it would tug at my dress or hair, zapping me when it licked my skin. I pursed my lips and encouraged the air current to go faster, spurring myself closer to where Trick was, hopefully with Emmy and Jenna.

The air dropped me lightly on my toes when I finally saw him, probably due to the fact that I'd completely frozen in my shock and borderline horror. "Trick…."

Trick sat back on his haunches on top of the fountain, bare from the waist up to show off all of his fire-induced tattoos. He turned to face me from where he perched, and I cringed away from his gaze. His treat-fire eye was the same as usual, but the trick-fire side of his face was more extravagantly detailed with the blue-green and violet knotwork, the ends of it sparking like it was actually being burned into his skin. The fire in that eye was starting to take on an almost greenish tinge. The trick side of his lantern was wide open, its flames spitting and rolling out freely, and the corresponding arm's markings burned brightly, throwing off even more light than I was.

A smile curled the corners of his lips as he hopped down, coming towards me. "Wisp, _mo ghile_!" He took me in his arms, spinning me around in a quick turn with a laugh, and placed an almost painfully warm kiss between my eyes. "Isn't tonight fantastic?! Oh, listen to them all: the laughter, the screams, the frightful delight!"

"Trick—,"

"You're late, you know." He set me back down, grinning wickedly. "Do you like how I've painted the town?"

_It's not your town to paint!_ I bit my tongue to keep from snapping at him, fixing a concerned look on my face to hide my irritation. "Trick, the fire…." I reached a hand up to touch the smoldering edges of the marks on his face, wincing a bit as it shocked me. "Isn't it too much?"

One of his hands came up to snatch mine before I could pull it away, pressing it fully against his cheek and smiling crookedly even as I tried to pull back, my palm stinging. "I'm fine, _leannán_. Really."

I shook my head furiously back and forth. "No, Trick, you're really not! You need to close the lantern."

"I can't do that, _mo ghrá_." He sighed, releasing my hand and taking a few steps back. "If I do that now, this," he motioned to his face, the surrounding town, "will all be for nothing. We're so _close_ now."

"Close to what?" I demanded, gripping my still-hurting hand to my chest. "What are you trying to achieve?!"

He gave me a mischievous smile. "You still don't know?"

I actually stomped my foot, infuriated, my fire exploding around me with my flaring temper. "I am SO _SICK_ of the two of you! Freaking _seriously_, _neither_ of you will tell me what the hell is going on around here?!" I snapped, fingernails biting into my palms as I curled my hands into fists.

He blinked slowly, as if waiting for me to finish. "Calm down, _mo chroí_. As I was going to say before you, ah, ignited; all we're trying to do is tip the scale a bit." He came back towards me, taking the hand not pressed to my chest in his with a smile. "Think about it—being able to be seen all the time, just like this, like with Emmy and Jenna and that little girl that pointed you in my direction, without having to try so hard to be believed in. Is that wrong?"

No. Actually, it sounded pretty flipping fantastic. "You can't really believe Pitch is okay with sharing all of the believers."

"I don't give a single damn about what Pitch wants or thinks." Trick snapped, the fire in his eyes flaring a bit. "He's just a means to an end. He and I both know that this partnership is only temporary. No, I just care about this," he said, giving my hand a squeeze, "a world like this, not just for the two of us, but the Guardians, too."

I frowned. "Yeah?"

He nodded, brilliant hair hanging in his eyes. "Yeah. I don't want us to be caught in the crosshairs between Pitch and the Guardians, but I do agree with that shady bastard on one thing: the Guardians have too much power. It won't kill them to share a bit. A little bit of fear in the kids is good, healthy even. Besides, they love it! Look!"

He turned, flicking some trick-fire at a cluster of kids as a teenager dressed up as Frankenstein passed by. The Frankenstein whirled around, taking on a menacing pose, and roared at the kids. They shrieked, tripping over one another, and burst into a fit of giggles.

"See? That little burst of fear, shifting into adrenaline, and then happiness." He looked at the dark sky, nodding when he saw a fork of lightning in the distance. "It shouldn't be long now. Come on, I'll explain everything more fully." He snapped the lantern closed finally, but didn't lock it, like he was expecting he'd need it soon. He took my hand, leading me over to a small table in front of a café, and held out a chair for me.

I settled into it, watching him walk around to the seat opposite me. "Okay, so explain. What was the plan?"

"You don't waste time, do you?" he smirked, leaning forward on his elbows. He flicked some treat-fire into a passing Iron Man's treat bucket, filling it to the brim. "Alright. Here was the plan: my trick-fire makes people more accepting to certain influences…like fear. I spread my fire around, and then Pitch is supposed to come around and do his scaring and striking fear into the hearts of all the wee ones."

I blew a strand of hair from my eyes, thinking. "And I was supposed to just distract the Guardians or something?"

He nodded. "Basically."

"It sounds so simple."

He smiled, continuing his filling of treat buckets. "That's because it _is_ that simple."

I shook my head, disbelieving that Trick seriously thought that this was all that would happen. "And you don't think Pitch has something up his sleeve?"

"Oh, I know he does. But," he shrugged, "there's not a whole hell of a lot I can do until he finally makes his move. Which should be about… now." I looked up, following the direction of his stare to the sky. Lightning split the sky every few seconds, and I wondered if we were due for an electrical storm.

Then I saw the Nightmares.

There were freaking thousands of them, rearing and snorting, and they were all descending upon my hometown. Where my sisters were somewhere being left practically defenseless against this horde of demon horses. I felt the blood leech from my face at the thought of Emmy's reaction when she saw the damned horses again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Trick looking concerned.

"What the hell…_this wasn't the plan_! It was supposed to be a _handful_ of horses, not a whole damned _legion_!" He shouted at the sky, hopping up on top of the table and hanging by the thick umbrella pole. He cursed under his breath and jumped down, pulling me up from my chair by the arm. "Come on, we need to move up. Those damned horses will trample us in a second."

I tried to pull free from him, ripping my arm away from his grasp. "No! I need to go get Emmy and Jenna!"

"_Leannán_," he sighed, almost groaning, but I wasn't listening. I darted off blindly, jaw set in determination. "Wisp, wait!"

I turned halfway to make some snappy comeback, but what came instead was a shriek as a herd of the Nightmares barreled past me, knocking me back and to the ground. Pain shot up my arm from where I tried to catch myself, barely fading, and a straggler of the pack reared up before me, yellow eyes promising agony on my part. Light burst around me, and the horse exploded in a puff of glittering black sand and red-gold flame.

The fire-flinger rushed over to me, checking me over for any injury. "Are you alright, _mo ghrá_?"

"Thanks," I said, breath coming out shakily as Trick helped me to my feet, "I didn't see them."

He raised an eyebrow at me, smirking. "Why do you think I told you to wait? Now please, this time listen to me. Your sisters are already safe and sound, I promise."

I eyed him skeptically. "Yeah? How do you know?"

"I told Emmy to pretend to feel ill when she saw the lightning so they could go home. Then she was supposed to get Rina to take them to my place. They'll be safe there." He promised, noticing my worried expression and slinging an arm around my waist comfortingly.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I nodded. "I know, I just—look out!" I yelled, shoving him away from me to make room for one of Pitch's Nightmares as it charged between us in a shifting blur. My eyes widened when I noticed that astride the beast was Pitch himself, looking almost giddy from all of the fear that was filling the air.

"Watch where you're riding, damn it!" I shouted at him to be heard over the screams and shrieks of children. "You nearly trampled us!"

A malicious grin curled the King of Nightmares' lips. "I wasn't trying to trample _you_."

I looked to the hand of his that wasn't holding the horse's reins, paling when I saw Trick's lantern hanging from his fingers. I whirled around, heart hammering against my ribcage, to see Trick struggling to get to his feet, looking grim. I realized then that the trick-fire had probably been the only thing giving him enough energy to stay up on his feet.

"I think our partnership has reached its expiration." Pitch said conversationally, twirling the lantern a bit.

Trick's burning eyes narrowed in a terrifying glare, hands clenching at his sides. "I couldn't agree more."

All of the trick-fire in the town imploded to where we stood, flooding the square in its rush back to its master. The horses in the surrounding area reared and whinnied, yellow gazes enormous. I leapt backwards as Trick rode the backlash towards a wide-eyed Pitch, determined to retrieve his lantern. Pitch's eyes narrowed as he lifted open the unlatched door of the lantern, and I darted forward to rip Trick off to the side, out of the tide of fire, as the blue-violet and green flames were sucked back into the lantern like a vacuum.

"Stop it, _now_!" I yelled at them as Trick attempted to rush at Pitch again, startling the horse and the master into motion. I'd nearly forgotten how quickly Trick could move. "The two of you are being ridiculous!"

Trick tackled Pitch, sending them both to the ground, and was about to strike at Pitch when he disappeared into the surrounding gloom, leaving Trick kneeling on the ground. I rushed towards the Trickster, pulling one of his arms across my shoulders to help him to his feet in his weakened state. "We need to get the lantern back." Trick ground out from between his clenched teeth, trying to pull free from me. "You don't know the kind of damage it can cause."

"What kind of damage _can_ it cause?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow at him as I helped him sit down in a nearby chair.

He shrugged. "I get experimental every now and then. Some are good, and others…" he grimaced, "others are nowhere near so good."

"What's a bad experiment of yours?" I asked, truly interested.

His lips pressed into a thin line. "Among others? 1692. Salem, Massachusetts."

I gave him a quick look of abject horror. "_You_ did that?"

"I was young and bored." He shrugged, unconcerned, save for the slight blush on his cheeks.

"Enough said."

"Good, then you know how important it is that I get the damn thing back."

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. How had tonight gotten so messed up? "So, what's the pl—?" The rest of my question got cut off as a searing, excruciating pain filled my being starting in my back, and I fell forward into Trick as pain gave way to an all-consuming fear. His panic-filled gaze filled my vision, his arms pulling me closer to keep me from sliding to the ground.

"Wisp!" I turned my head to the side to see Jack hop down into the square, rushing towards me, looking horrified. "Oh, hell!" He rushed over to where we were, setting his staff on the table before kneeling next to me. "Wisp I'm so, so sorry!"

"What'd you do?" I rasped, vaguely acknowledging the shape of North's sleigh settling on the other side of the fountain from me.

"Speak quickly." Trick snarled, smoothing my hair from my face as he glared at Jack.

Jack shook his head, snowy hair flying in all directions. "Pitch tried to shoot an arrow at Tooth. I thought I'd deflected it to a safe area. Instead of hitting Tooth—,"

Trick interrupted him with an extremely colorful stream of expletives, but I didn't get to hear them all. I turned my gaze back to Trick, letting my fear show on my face. "Wisp, _leannán_, stay with me!" I read his lips, seeing him repeat the statement once more before closing my eyes and succumbing to the silence.

**A/N: So there's your update ^_^ Please review! Oh, also, my friend drew Myra for me! She's a phenomenal artist who's open for commissions. You all should check it out. 'Til next time!**

art/Myra-377381114


	18. Chapter 18 (17 but whatever)

**A/N: Update time! I hate writing third-person. Thank you to my favoriters/followers, and tremendous THANK YOUs to my reviewers: Random reader, Starcrier, Moonpie, SkywardWriter, OhMeOhMy, maegirl, Tragically Humorous, TwixyReitz, Nyghtflower-Pack, , and somekindofzombie. You would've had this sooner, but I work**_**. A lot**_**. I also **_**really**_** need to start working on my summer homework. But hey, at least you guys haven't had to wait as long as the three or four people that read my **_**Night**__**Circus**_** Fanfiction; they've been waiting for a little over a month for their update (which they still haven't gotten ^_^;) *clears throat awkwardly*You might also notice the fabulous new cover art for this fanfiction: this is done by my best friend (yes, it's Wisp). Her art is phenomenal and she IS open to commissions. Her deviantart name is glitchyraptor—you all should go check her out! Anyway, read and enjoy!**

Trick scooped the fading Wisp into his arms, clutching her smaller frame tightly to his chest and tucking her head securely under his chin, her hair soft against his exposed arms and torso. He squeezed his eyes shut, breath shuddering in and out of him erratically. He held her so tightly he was sure his fingers would leave bruises. He didn't particularly care.

Slowly, tenderly, he pressed his lips to her head, burying his face in her hair. He could help her, he knew, without the lantern. The only problem with that was if he did that, he'd go out. _Out_ out. Wisp, his Wisp, was extinguished again, and he couldn't help her this time because he was lacking both his lantern and the courage to sacrifice himself for her.

Jack Frost shook his snow-haired head frantically in rejection of the scene that lay before him, eyes wide in revulsion. "This can't be really happening. It just—it _can't_."

"Oh, it is _very_ real." Trick raised his head enough to level a glare at the murd— troublemaker. _Wisp isn't dead_, Trick reminded himself adamantly_, she's just sleeping, like a coma_. "Would you like to reassure that fact? Come, touch her cold hand! Admire the dimming, dying light in her once radiant cheeks! I would allow you to get the full effect by holding her, but I doubt I can even trust you with her shell. After all, this is entirely _your_ _fault_!" Trick spat, flames spewing from his eyes.

Jack flinched back from the pair as if Trick's words physically gored him before glaring at Trick. "I didn't do it on purpose! I was trying to save a friend!"

"And nearly snuffed out another in the process!"

Jack let out a shaky sigh, running a hand through his bone-colored hair. "Look, you saved her once, right? Can't you just do whatever it was you did back then to save her again?"

"No, I can't!" Trick snapped. "I need my lantern for that and, as you can _clearly_ see, I don't have it!"

Jack opened his mouth to snap back some adolescent retort when North very nearly trampled him in order to reach Wisp. The spirit of Christmas's eyes blazed like blue fire, the fierceness extinguishing almost immediately as his gaze settled on the fallen elemental in Trick's arms. The jolly old man visibly aged with concern and sadness. "What has happened?"

Trick's arms tightened protectively, possessively around Wisp as North moved as if to take her from him. "She was hit with one of Pitch's arrows, thanks to Jack." He said, fire spitting from his eyes as he shot Jack another glare.

"I _told_ you it was an accident!" Jack bit out, frustration coming off of him in waves. The ground around his feet crackled with frost as his agitation rose. Jack's brow furrowed with confusion as he scrubbed a hand through his messy hair. "I just don't understand one thing. Why isn't she disappearing, like Sandy did?"

Trick felt his blood burn in his veins, could hear the fire in his eyes crackle with outrage. "Do you _want_ her to disappear?!"

"No, of course I don't." Jack snapped back, exasperated. "I just think it's a valid question."

North tried to get in between the two without jostling Wisp too much. He shot Jack a _look_, temporarily silencing him, before turning to Trick, expression wary. "Trick, I know you are worried about_ malen'kiye ognennyye odnogo,_ but you must calm down. This is no more Jack's fault than it is yours."

"Of _course_ this is my fault!" Trick snarled, taking several steps backwards. "If I hadn't been so focused on getting my lantern back—if I'd just listened to her and not gone through with the plan—,"

Jack hopped up and over North, glaring daggers at Jack, his staff clenched tightly in his pale fist. "Plan? What plan?"

"It _does_ _not_ _matter_!" North bellowed, forcing them both to shut up. "In case you have forgotten, Wisp is injured and we are standing in the midst of a horde of Pitch's Nightmares!" He reminded them, holding his arms out to make an example of the surrounding area, where the shrieks of children fused with the terrific whinnies and snorts of the Nightmares to create a discordant song of fear.

Trick's jaw set in determination as he mentally shamed himself for letting his temper get the better of him. "You're right. You handle the situation here. I'll get Wisp somewhere safe."

"Whoa whoa whoa there, pal."Jack chuckled humorlessly, whipping Trick around as he turned to leave. "You're not going anywhere. I don't trust you, and besides, she belongs with _us_. She's a Guardian, remember?"

Trick gave the pale boy a dark, malicious grin of sharp white teeth despite himself. "What a fool you are. You really think you can tell me what to do, especially in regards to her?"

North growled a warning as the two began to bicker again. "I said that that is _enough_! Sandy!" the older spirit greeted the silent golden man warmly, beckoning him over. Sandman flicked a confused glance between the two wordlessly warring elementals as he stepped around them to North, questioning with his sand glyphs what had happened. His eyes were wide as he listened to North hurriedly explain. "And so we need you to help, Sandy. Maybe we could put her in your ship*?"

"What would stashing her at Sandy's do?" Jack asked grouchily as North and Sandy conversed, leaning on his staff.

Trick squinted his scorching eyes at Jack. "You really _are_ stupid. Being surrounded by Sandman's dream sand has the potential to either reverse the affects or at least keep her from slipping entirely away."

Jack scowled. "If that's true, why didn't it work for Sandy when he was hit with one of Pitch's arrows?"

"Sandman's ship is made of his sand, which is essentially an extension of his self. If he disappeared like you all say he did, then so did the ship and all of the dream sand—tell me again, _how_ do you protect the children in all of your incompetence?" Trick shifted Wisp in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder.

"With fun."

Trick smirked. "I love how I don't need my trick-fire to make a fool of you; you do it perfectly all on your own."

North put himself pointedly in front of Jack, as if to restrain him. "That will be enough of the pettiness, yes? Trick, if you will be so kind as to pass Wisp over into Sandy's care—,"

Trick shook his head furiously, orange hair flying every direction, and jerked a step backwards when North tried to lay a comforting, guiding hand on his shoulder. "Not by the last spark of my burning heart! I go with her."

"You? You're not even a Guardian—hell, you were probably in with Pitch from the beginning." Jack accused, swinging around North to block Trick's path, posture aggressive.

_Perhaps not quite as stupid as I thought._ Trick thought to himself dryly, narrowing his gaze on Jack's icy blue eyes. "No, I'm not a Guardian, and happily neither is she. That's probably the only thing that's saving her from dissipating in a puff of black sand, besides her fierce will to live." He stepped forward until he was practically toe-to-toe with the frozen runt, Wisp trapped between them as he glared down at the youngest Guardian."Now, I suggest you move your frostbitten arse out of my way."

Jack's teeth audibly clicked together as he clenched his jaw, stepping to the side for Trick to pass. The tattooed trickster hopped into the back of Sandman's dream sand biplane, holding Wisp tightly against him.

"Take her to your ship! We will meet you there soon!" North bellowed, regaining some of his vigor. Brandishing his cutlasses, he motioned to the cluster of Nightmares that had just entered the square. "Come, Jack!"

Jack shot another quick glare over his shoulder at Trick, suspicion glinting in the frozen depths of his eyes, and followed after North.

* * *

The downside of riding in a plane made of dream sand? It makes the rider fall asleep almost instantaneously.

When Trick came to, he was in what appeared to be an infirmary: the long, dimly-lit hall was lined on either side with several rather comfortable-looking beds dressed in gold silks and plush pillows, though everything was strangely, slightly twisted due to the aged glass he was peering through. He had an old gas mask over his face and a large basket full of candy sitting on a nightstand off to his side. Lasarina, mindful of her hair, was stacking several Bit'O'Honeys into a pyramid next to it. She jumped when she noticed he was awake, throwing her tiny arms around his neck. "You're okay! You're alright! I was so worried!"

Trick couldn't help but smile at the obvious relief in her voice, chuckling as he rubbed her shuddering back. "Yes, I'm the picture of health. Hand me that basket, would you darlin'? I'm famished."

"Ah! Absolutely!" She shoved herself back from him, floating over to the basket and tugging it over by its worn handle.

Making sure that his nose was covered, he lifted the gas mask a bit from his mouth and quickly shoveled in a fistful of the sweets, wincing at the feeling of the wrappers combusting in his throat and stomach as he lowered the mask again. "Ugh, _hate_ that part. So, what've I missed while I've been asleep?"

"For starters, you've been asleep for about two days now. Wisp is still unconscious." Rina murmured, shattering his hope that something had happened in that amount of time. "Pitch is lying surprisingly low, considering how he's achieved his goal. You'd think he'd be rampaging around or something."

Trick was glad that the gas mask hid his face from the young elemental when he felt the blood leech from it. Pitch wasn't being quiet; he was being under the radar so he could hunt for Wisp. He didn't say that, though. He took another quick fistful of candy. "Rina? Focus, darlin'."

"Sorry! Um…." She trailed off into silence as she thought.

"Where'd you find this thing, anyway?" Trick asked, curious, and tugged lightly on one of the straps of the gas mask.

She blinked at him, eyes wide. "….your closet?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, then remembered she probably couldn't see the gesture. "_Really_?"

Her jaw strained to remain locked shut, but words burst forth like a flood from a dam. "Okay, so I took it from a museum! But you were sleeping so deeply and I thought you'd never wake up, I was so worried. Besides, it wasn't doing anyone any good in a glass box. I can't have both you and Wisp out of commission. Please don't be mad."

Trick chuckled, the sound strange coming from the gas mask, even as a small twinge stabbed at his heart. "Heh, looks like you've got some trick-fire in there after all."

The little elemental smiled lightly, looking pleased. "Would you like to go see her? Wisp I mean."

"Absolutely." Trick knocked the basket over in his haste to get up from the bed, spilling candy all over the floor. He paused just before the door, thoughtful, and turned Rina to face him. "Wait a moment—if you're here, where are Emmy and Jenna?" If anything happened to those girls while Wisp was unconscious and she found out when she woke up, he would be one toasted trickster.

"They're at North's place with Tooth and that kangaroo guy. They're upset, but they're safe."

Trick kept as straight a face as he could manage. "He's a rabbit, darlin'."

Her eyes grew enormous as she whispered, "Are you serious?!"

"I'm about ninety percent sure." He replied absently, continuing out and down the hall as he thought worriedly. North's yetis seemed formidable enough, but he knew as well as Pitch did that it was practically child's play to get in there.

Lasarina hurried after him, floating clumsily like a leaf in a breeze. "But he doesn't really look like one…."

"He did, once." Trick made a low sound of annoyance in the back of his throat, becoming more and more anxious with every step through the wide halls, occasionally having to dodge a tiny dream creature as it wandered by, dripping golden sand in its wake. "Are you sure we're going in the right direction?"

Lasarina smiled softly at him from over her shoulder, disregarding his snappish tone. "Absolutely. I can even make the route with my eyes closed." She let her eyes drift shut, bobbing through the air backwards—directly into a wall. She started, her fiery mane going white-hot in her fright. Where her hair touched the wall, the sand cracked and hardened, forming a strange patch of glittering glass.

Trick smirked, saying blandly, "I'm _brimming_ with confidence in your senses."

Rina's cheeks glowed a rose-gold as she blushed, embarrassed. Not quite meeting Trick's eyes, she flicked what Trick supposed would be her wrist at a nearby set of heavy golden doors. "Wisp is in there."

Trick's feet felt like they were made of lead as he stared at the opulent doors, trudging towards them, heart caught in his throat. The closer he got, the more he could make out the sounds of arguing voices on the other side. He pushed on the doors with just his fingertips, marveling at the strange warmth in the doors and how they required barely any force to open. He stepped between them, entering what appeared to be yet another infirmary-like room, silently intruding upon the heated argument going on around one of the opulent beds. North and Tooth stood on one side of the bed, bickering with Jack and, surprisingly, Bunnymund. Sandy stood off to the side, shaking his little golden head back and forth furiously.

"I thought you said they were at the Pole. And why don't _they_ have to wear this stupid thing?" Trick muttered, agitatedly adjusting the gas mask.

"I don't know." Rina shrugged delicately. "Maybe it's a safety mechanism and only the Guardians can take the dream sand?" she offered quietly.

"Beats me. What's with them?" he asked Sandman, nodding his head towards the other four.

Figures and symbols of dream sand flashed above Sandy's head, too fast for Trick to follow even if he _could_ understand what the little guy was going on about (which he couldn't). "I don't understand a thing you're, ah, signing. Thanks though."

Sandy let out a heavy, silent sigh and gave a shrug as if to say_ Hey, no problem, I'm used to it._

With a smirk for the smaller man, Trick marched over to the rowdy group, shouting to be heard over them. "_What's all the racket for?!_" As soon as the words were out, though, his breath left him. Lying in the bed with the blankets pulled up to her chin was Wisp, her dim and heavy hair flowing across the pillows and onto the floor like an ink stain. Her breath came lightly from between parted lips, like a child, the rise and fall of her chest slow and steady, eyelashes forming dark crescents on her dim cheeks. A small cloud of dream sand floated above her head, occasionally stirring to form a fragmented dream that was quickly swallowed by a flash of black before falling back into an unoriginal cloud-like formation.

"My poor _leannán_, not even in sleep can you find peace." Trick breathed mournfully, watching her dreams be swallowed one after another. It became more and more frequent as he observed, and a fine sheen of sweat collected on her brow.

Tooth turned to him while the rest continued arguing, looking frustrated, and Trick had to tear his gaze away from Wisp. "Jack thinks he has a great idea of how to wake Wisp up, but North and I aren't so sure."

Trick's eyes fixed on Jack in a glare. "What's the idea?" he asked slowly, crossing his tattooed arms across his wide chest.

Tooth hesitated, biting her bottom lip and flicking a worrying glance between Jack and the trickster, unsure if she should really tell him. He looked like he was about to leap over Bunny to pummel Jack. What if his wonderful teeth were injured in the process? On the other hand, maybe another voice would help Jack see reason. While it was true she didn't particularly care for Trick (he helped ruin children's teeth), she admitted to herself that he seemed to genuinely care for Wisp's wellbeing.

"He thinks maybe Sandy could hit her with a dream sand arrow, that it could flush away the affects of Pitch's arrow or at least cancel it out." She said quietly, coming to a decision. Besides, if he _did_ hit Jack, she could take out all of her frustration on him.

Trick's response was immediate and absolute. "Not even over my dead body."

"Shut up!" Jack snapped, hearing Trick's instant rejection. "I don't see _you_ coming up with any suggestions to help her!"

"Your '_suggestion'_ could have her trapped in slumber for several decades if not more, moron!" Trick fired back, knocking Sandy's hand back from where it tugged at the leg of his black canvas cargo pants. "Can you imagine how she would react if she woke up and realized that she'd missed the entirety of her sisters' lifetimes? You _know_ how much she cares about them!"

"At least she'd be awake!"

Trick's hands curled into hard fists at his sides, sparks spilling from his markings to land on the comforter, making the rich fabric smolder. Sandy's repeated tugging grew more insistent. "You'll not lay a damn finger on her!"

"Your orders don't mean anything here! We should have left you back with the Nightmares!" Tooth gasped at Jack's tone, and North and Bunny's argument died as they became more and more aware of the increasingly perilous situation rising next to them. "Why the hell are you still here? Why does this matter so much to you?"

"_Because I love her!"_ All was silent at Trick's admission save the comforter of the bed, which had burst into flame when Trick's temper had flared. Hurriedly, Trick scooped up the fire in hand like it was nothing, absorbing it, and wiped the soot and ash from the foot of the bed.

Jack's jaw clenched and unclenched as he stared at the girl in the bed, expression unreadable. North moved to rest a comforting hand on his shoulder, which the boy shook off before storming from the room, purposefully knocking his shoulder against Trick's upper arm as he passed, to which Trick raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Tooth clasped her hands in front of her, wings fluttering. "I'll go after him." She said quietly, pursuing Jack through the door, calling him. Bunny followed suit with a sigh, Sandy trailing after him, leaving Trick with Rina, North and the unconscious Wisp.

North stood at the foot of the bed, leaning against one of the bedposts as Trick strode to Wisp's side and started to peel back the multiple layers of blankets and sheets from her, jaw set in determination. "What are you doing, _metatel' ognya?_"

Trick chuckled a bit. "I don't really throw the fire, it just kind of does what it wants. And as for your question—," he paused to make a quiet exclamation of victory as the last sheet came away, "I'm getting her out of here."

"Why?"

The orange-haired man chuckled, scooping Wisp into his arms. "Why aren't you trying to stop me, North? Don't you want to keep her locked up here, too?"

The spirit of Christmas looked genuinely offended. "Of course I don't. I want Wispy to get better." He looked sadly at the sleeping elemental as she shivered, suffering another nightmare, with something like parental love in his eyes. "She would sit with me while I worked on my toys, just keeping me company, or tease the yetis."

Trick felt the angry inferno inside of him quell a bit at North's words, smiling wryly. Leave it to Wisp to befriend a centuries-old spirit of wonder and turn him into a paternal figure. "That sounds just like something she would do."

North gripped his shoulder gently, eyes serious as he captured Trick's gaze with his. "If you take her from here, you know her nightmares will get worse, yes?"

"I know. I'll take care of her." Trick promised.

The larger man's grip tightened on Trick's shoulder, igniting a spark of annoyance. "Pitch will find her faster, as well. Eyes so wide with wonder tend to see more than others." He chuckled in answer to Trick's quizzical silence with a wink.

"Dually noted. Rina, let's go." Trick swallowed hard to keep from sighing in relief when the enormous hand relinquished him. Propping his beloved's head up on his shoulder, he all but sprinted from the room and down the hall after Lasarina, mindful of the annoying train of Wisp's dress as it tried to tangle his legs. The tiny sprite led him through twisting corridors and up sloping, eroded steps. Dream sand creatures started as they charged past, confused, before carrying on their merry way.

"I think it's this one!" Lasarina huffed, sounding out of breath as she came to a door tucked away in a corner. She pulled at the lever securing the door closed, raising it with some difficulty. Unlike the doors of the infirmary, this one seemed highly reluctant to open. "It won't open!"

"Good, that's how you know it's the right one. I'll take care of the door—you watch the hall." Carefully, gently, Trick set Wisp down in the hall, propping her against the wall in a slumped position even as she jolted and shivered from the nightmares. He turned to face the door, channeling all of his frustration and rage into the markings on his palms. The knot work glowed almost pure white before finally bursting into flame, which he applied to the sand door, focusing on turning it into glass. The door was so thick that he had to do it in layers, shattering each layer with a fierce kick of his combat-booted foot.

He was almost through when he heard Rina gasp. "We have company!"

"_Now_ you tell me." He muttered grouchily, flicking a glance over his shoulder to see a white and blue figure come rushing in their direction. _Great, it's_ him _again_, Trick groaned mentally, kicking through the last layer.

"_Trick_!" Jack yelled as he soared towards them, leaving frozen sand creatures in his wake. "Give her back!"

"What are you, a lad of five years? She's not a toy." Trick smirked, pulling Wisp back up into his arms before settling her over one of his broad shoulders, mentally swearing to _never_ tell her that he woman-handled her this way.

Jack alighted to a stop mere feet from where Trick had paused halfway through the open door. "If you take her out of the ship—,"

Trick rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, her nightmares will get worse, I know." He ducked quickly to avoid being brained by a spike of ice as it imbedded itself in the wall. The ice spear had gotten so close that it had broken the straps holding the gas mask in place, and tumbled out through the open door into the night air.

"What do you plan to do with her? This ship flies, and you don't. I'll just take her back as you fall." Jack warned, his staff clutched in a death-grip.

Trick risked a glance out the door and saw nothing but clouds. Swallowing hard and cursing softly, he shifted Wisp on his shoulder, mustering up his bravado. "What a pity. We could've been such good friends—our pranks would've been the best of all time."

"What?" Jack looked at him, confused, and Trick rushed him, white-hot trick-fire palm extended to land a fierce blow to Jack's solar plexus. White, blue, violet and green flames expanded from the impact point as Jack was blown backwards, twisting around him and tightening like boa constrictors before transforming into one long scarf chain wrapped repeatedly around him, effectively restraining and tripping him to fall backwards to the floor. "What the _hell_?!"

Rina raised an eyebrow at Trick, who shrugged. "Trick-fire does what trick-fire does."

"How are we going to get out of here, though? He was right—you'll fall right out of the sky."

"Perhaps I could be of assistance." A dark voice said wryly, and Trick knew from the look of absolute hate on Jack's face that Pitch stood behind him. "For old times' sake."

Trick smirked at the King of Nightmares over his shoulder. "You offering a ride?"

"I _knew_ it! You _were_ working with him!" Jack snarled, struggling against his bindings.

"Key word." Trick muttered.

Rina's hair singed the leg of Trick's pants as she clung to his thigh, attempting to hide from Pitch as he paced around to stand between Jack and Trick. "What's happened to Wisp?" he asked conversationally, though Trick could hear the undertone of worry in his voice.

"She's come down with a bad case of nightmares. One of your arrows was knocked astray, right into Wisp."

A muscle ticked in Pitch's jaw. "You don't say." Before anyone could react, Pitch blasted Jack with a powerful dose of his black sand, making him disappear far down the corridor until he was out of sight. "That's better. Now," Pitch turned to Trick, hands clasped behind his back, "let's cut to the chase."

"Let's." Trick murmured his assent, watching his adversary's every move.

"I want what—or should I say, whom—you have; you want what I have." He held aloft Trick's lantern to make his point. "I propose a deal. You bring her back—,"

"Yes, of course." Trick said quickly, encouraging Rina to get the lantern even as she tried to conceal herself in one of his pockets as if she couldn't bear to watch this encounter. Slowly, carefully, he lay Wisp down, smoothing her hair back from her face. "I'll do it right here and now; just hand me my lantern."

"—you bring her back, I give you your lantern before you completely burn out, and then _you_ disappear." Pitch finished, yellow-gray eyes narrowing.

Trick's head snapped up, eyes flaring so much heat and fire that Pitch had to take a step back. "I refuse!"

"But Trick—," Rina started, peeking out from his pocket.

"Hush, let the grown-ups chat." He reprimanded her softly, never taking his eyes from Pitch. He stared at the hand with his lantern, hurriedly masking his surprise when he noticed the treat-fire side of the lantern remained unlocked. "I think both you and I know that you won't give me my lantern back in time."

Pitch feigned being wounded, placing a hand over his heart. "So little faith in me, old friend?"

"Less than that, even."

Pitch shrugged. "Fair enough. I'll just have to figure out another way to save her—_without_ you."

"There _is_ no other way," Trick said, frustrated, mentally pulling at the treat-fire where it dwelled within its wrought-iron confines. A little of it leaked out, pushing at the door, and Trick had to bite his cheek hard to keep from smiling.

"We'll see about that. But first, are you sure you won't accept my offer? It'd be a waste if you couldn't at least experience the world you sacrificed so much to bring about." Pitch said with mock sympathy, motioning to Trick's face and eye.

"Trick!" Rina hissed and shook his elbow, trying to get his attention. "_Listen_ to me! I can bring you back if he doesn't!"

Trick didn't dare ask how she planned to go about that, dread curling in his stomach at the almost sorrowful look in her eyes. But hope came from her words. Wisp would be back, Pitch would be distracted by her while Rina brought himself back; Trick could snatch the lantern and weaken Pitch before he even realized what had happened….The plan definitely had appeal. "Are you certain?" he murmured.

The little sprite swallowed. "Yes."

"I'll do it."

Pitch grinned maliciously. "Fantastic. I'll be back when the time is right." Pulling the shadows about him from the night outside, he disappeared.

Trick looked uncertainly to Rina, who gave him a watery smile, as he pulled Myra into his lap, securing his lips to hers and giving her all he had. It ripped at the very fabric of his soul as he gave her all he had, feeling himself grow cold and weaken. His eyes drifted shut as an overwhelming exhaustion filled him, consuming him, but he fought it back; he wasn't finished. Treating the fear like snake venom, he began to draw it from her, feeling the sand fill his mouth with the taste of terror and copper.

And then the sand came pouring out of her into him of its own free will like a dark ocean, fighting to fill the places that the fire had left. Trick tried to break the kiss, to pull away, and managed to fall back from Wisp to sit on his haunches as he lost control over his own being, internally battling the fear threatening to consume him. The remaining light around them from the transfer died down, and Pitch stepped from the shadows, lantern swinging free from one hand.

"I told you I'd bring it to you." Pitch chuckled softly, dropping the lantern next to Trick's leg. Somewhere beyond the dull, furious roar building in Trick's mind, he could hear Wisp choke and cough as she woke. Pitch crouched to pull Wisp into his arms, much the same as Trick had done not so long ago. Before leaving, he kneeled in front of Trick, the vulnerability in his eyes startling the trickster. "Thank you for trying to take care of her." He murmured softly before he straightened and left.

Trick's eyelids started to close as Rina hovered over him, steadily becoming brighter and brighter. He fought for control of his vocal chords and mouth, his eyes closing in the process. "Rina…what…?" His struggling question was lost in his roar as he felt his heart, so recently extinguished, begin to burn again.

"It'll be okay." Rina told him, smiling down at him even though he couldn't see her, already starting to feel colder. "Really, it will. You'll be alright; you can play tricks on children, and eat lots of candy, and Mom can have fun with her sisters." There was a hissing sound, like water quickly evaporating, and Rina realized that she was crying for the first time. "You won't even miss me."

She knew it was working when he tried to talk again. "_Rina_," he ground out through gritted teeth, fists clenching at his sides.

"I'm sorry I can't give you that much." She apologized, trembling with cold and crying. She was ashamed of herself; Dad had revived Mom twice, and she couldn't even manage to do more than bring a few sparks back into his eyes. Her glow had died already, her hair extinguished, and instead of floating she was on all fours as she focused all of her life energy on reviving her father's inner flame. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Rina…st…_stop_."

"I'm almost done—just a little bit longer, I promise." She slumped against his heart, smiling through her tears when she heard how strongly it burned.

Trick struggled up onto his elbows, gritting his teeth against the agony the simple movement brought him. "Damn it Rina, _stop_! STOP!" He rose to a sitting position, Rina falling into the cradle of his arms, her eyes barely cracked open. "Hang on, darlin'. You're going to be alright." He pulled the lantern around in front of him, throwing the treat-side door open. The flames rolled out to greet him, instinctively reaching for her.

"No, I'm not, but that's okay." She smiled at him sadly. She winced as the fire licked at her skin, crying out as it slowly soaked into her.

"I know it hurts. I know." Trick hushed, limbs trembling from exhaustion as he smoothed the fire around her, swaddling her in it. "Just work through it." When the swaddling was complete, he hugged her to him, tucking her head in the crook between his neck and shoulder to try to muffle her cries.

She sniffled, and he was relieved to hear little sounds of steaming tears. "Was I a good daughter?"

"You _are_ a good daughter. You're not going to go out on my watch." He rubbed little circles against her back, careful not to disturb the fire too much. "You're going to be fine, and then you and me can go teach Pitch a lesson."

* * *

My eyes fluttered open, pupils dilating to try to seek out the tiniest measures of light in the darkness that surrounded me. With a deep groan I struggled first to my elbows, then to a sitting position, wincing as a throbbing pain pulsed from my spine through the rest of my body, making every muscle scream in agony. A sharp hiss escaped between my bared teeth as I rose the rest of the way to my feet, staggering a bit. Hot tears seared their paths down my cheeks as I arched my back, attempting to stretch it out to relieve some of the tightly wound tendons, and I muttered several curses that Trick would've been proud of.

My mouth tasted like iron and fear, a gritty substance coating my throat and tongue like I'd swallowed a gallon of sand. Gooseflesh burst along my arms as I turned in a slow circle, trying to discern my surroundings. With a gasp I recognized it as the lake Pitch had taken me to before the whole Halloween fiasco, almost completely dark thanks to the heavy cloud coverage above.

"What _happened_?" I asked no one in particular, holding a hand to my head to fight back a growing headache. There was a soft sound, the wind rustling through the trees, and that alone was enough to about toss me to the ground. A hand came from the dark to support my elbow, steadying me, an arm wrapping firmly around my waist. "Pitch?"

The overwhelming fear in the air and smell of midnight rain confirmed my guess. He buried his face in my hair, clutching me close in his embrace. "You're back. You're really back."

***The ship I'm talking about here is a reference to the Sandman Ship level in the RotG video game. Keep in mind, though, I have never played the game, so I have no idea what the inside of said ship really looks like. Artistic license is being applied here.**

**A/N: There's your chapter! Hopefully that'll tide you over until I can get the next chapter up. Thanks for reading! PLEASE REVIEW!**


	19. AFitD Public Service Announcement

**Hey, sorry to get your hopes up like this. No, this isn't the next chapter as you all hoped it would be, though I consider it just as important.**

**Could it be? Could some of you really like my story enough to create *whispers reverently* **_**fanart**_**?**

**I am filled with so much joy I cannot express it in words. All I have to say is that I love you all forever and if you do so happen to wish to draw my OCs and whatnot, all I ask is that you treat them with respect, don't make them go OOC, and **_**please**_** send me a link to it so that I can fangirl and scream over it for three weeks straight.**

**Thank you so much**

**3 -TempestParamour**


	20. AFitD PSA mach II

Yes, another non-chapter. My apologies for getting your hopes up, but I promise, you'll get the update very soon (I'm sick and therefore have all day to write the chapter).

So, I didn't realize it, but the end is approaching faster than I had anticipated. To be honest, there's probably only two chapters left or so.

I just wanted to let you all, the readers, know how much I love you guys and thank you for keeping up with the story and (hopefully) enjoying it.

Also, thank you so much for liking the story enough to make fanart. Some of you joked about not being able to draw and stuff, but I honestly could've been implicitly happy just with stick-figures. I put the fanart (the ones that I'm aware of; if you know of any others please let me know) below, and if it doesn't show up in the update I'm going to be freaking _PISSED_. Just in case they don't show up, I put the names of the pictures and their artists next to where they should be.

Jack n Willow by k-ibun

Myra by GlitchyRaptor

Myra V2 (also by GlitchyRaptor)

Oh, jeez, I can't even really thank you properly. I just—there aren't _words_ enough to thank you. Well, there are plenty of words but I just can't seem to put them together.

Ah, anyway, I wanted to give you guys an opportunity to prepare any questions about the story or characters if you have any. I'll be more than happy to answer them in the first author's note of the next chapter unless, of course, answering them would give away the ending, in which case I'll answer them in the last author's note of the fanfiction.

So, yeah. Sorry to get you excited for a new chapter. Hopefully it will be up by the end of today.

Infinite love and thanks,

TempestParamour


End file.
